Israel strikes southern Lebanon amid new round of talks in Rome

JERUSALEM - Israel's military said on Wednesday that it had carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon, as a fresh round of US-brokered talks between Israel and Lebanon entered its second day.

In a statement, the military said the strikes late on Tuesday targeted a tunnel belonging to Hezbollah in the Srobbin area of the Bint Jbeil district.

The tunnel, which "spans dozens of meters," was used by Hezbollah to "advance and carry out attacks against IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers," it said.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that Israeli military vehicles entered the outskirts of Aita al-Jabal, while artillery fire struck the town and the outskirts of nearby Hadatha. Israeli drones and reconnaissance aircraft were also seen flying over the area.

There were no immediate reports of casualties on either side.

Israeli troops, who remain stationed at several positions in southern Lebanon, also located a weapons storage facility containing Hezbollah rocket launchers and rockets, according to the military.

The strikes came a day after Israeli and Lebanese officials began three days of negotiations in Rome aimed at advancing security arrangements along their border and implementing a framework agreement reached in Washington in late June, according to local media. The talks are the seventh round of negotiations between the two sides.