Salam says Lebanese officials 'more optimistic' after Sunday's flare-up

After an emergency government meeting on Sunday, Lebanon’s caretaker Economy Minister Amin Salam said officials were “feeling a bit more optimistic” about a de-escalation between Israel and Hezbollah.

“We feel more reassured since both sides confirmed that the expected operations ended,” he said, referring to Sunday morning's heavy exchange of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

As Hezbollah said that it fired 320 rockets and several drones at northern and central Israel to avenge its military chief Fouad Shukur's assassination, Israel boasted that it managed to thwart most of Hezbollah's attack, with the Lebanese group saying that an intelligence base near Tel Aviv was targeted and Israel denying that the base was hit.