Israel pummels 'Hezbollah bastions'

Israel launched a wave of air attacks on Hezbollah bastions in Beirut and south Lebanon on Saturday, a day after Lebanese officials said they were studying a US truce proposal.

An Israeli attack on neighbouring Syria earlier this week killed two Islamic Jihad leaders, the Palestinian militant group, which has fought alongside Hamas in Gaza, confirmed.

Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad are all backed by Israel's arch-enemy Iran, which on Friday said it supported a swift end to the nearly two-month war in Lebanon.

Since September 23, Israel has escalated its bombing of targets in Lebanon, later sending in ground troops after almost a year of limited, cross-border exchanges of fire begun by Hezbollah militants over the Gaza war.

AFPTV footage showed fresh strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Saturday, following calls from the Israeli army for residents to evacuate.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported four strikes during the day and further "heavy strikes" in the early evening.

The Israeli military said its aircraft had targeted "a weapons storage facility" and a Hezbollah "command centre" in south Beirut.

NNA also reported a strike on the southern city of Tyre, in a neighbourhood near UNESCO-listed ancient ruins.

In eastern Lebanon, funerals were held for 14 civil defence staff killed in an Israeli strike on Thursday.

"They weren't involved with any (armed) party... they were just waiting to answer calls for help," said Ali al-Zein, a relative of one of the dead.

Hezbollah claimed several rocket attacks on northern Israel, targeting military sites including a naval base in the Haifa area.

The Israeli military said "approximately 65 projectiles" had crossed the border.