The governor of Baalbek, Bachir Khodr, reported airstrikes on nine villages across the northeast.

The state-run news agency, NNA, separately reported four more people killed in the small farming village of Ollak, also in the Bekaa Valley — a rural area of olive groves and vineyards nestled between Lebanon’s two mountain ranges.

Despite growing pressure from the United States and others in the international community for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, intensified Israeli strikes are expanding beyond Lebanon’s border areas. Israel is also pressing with its deadly assault on Gaza, where UN agencies have warned of an "apocalyptic" situation for Palestinians living in the north of the territory.

On Friday, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the "expansion" of Israel's attacks on his country, saying they signalled a refusal to engage in truce efforts.

"The Israeli enemy's renewed expansion... and its renewed targeting of the southern suburbs of Beirut with destructive raids are all indicators that confirm the Israeli enemy's rejection of all efforts being made to secure a ceasefire," he said.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry says more than 2,900 people have been killed and 13,150 wounded in the country since Oct. 8, 2023.

Since last month, Israel has sharply escalated its assault and invaded Lebanon, issuing countless expulsion orders before following with heavy airstrikes.

The escalation has led to mass displacement within the small country and into neighbouring Syria as the UN humanitarian aid coordination agency pointed to a new “wave of displacement” in Beirut after the Israeli army issued new orders for people to leave its southern suburbs.

Israeli warplanes have followed the orders with intense airstrikes, destroying dozens of buildings in the southern suburbs known as Dahiyeh, but it appeared most residents had evacuated, and there were no reports of casualties.

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon. AP

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.