Hochstein says working 'non-stop' for Lebanon ceasefire

U.S. special envoy to Lebanon Amos Hochstein overnight told local media that the United States was working "non-stop" towards a ceasefire in the country.

"We want the whole conflict to end," he told Lebanese television channel LBCI from Washington.

"We are working on this non-stop."

After almost a year of cross-border fire, Israel has increased its strikes on what it says are Hezbollah sites since September 23.

The escalation has killed more than 1,200 people and displaced around a million from their homes.

Reviewing the latest developments, Hochstein said reports that Israel hit U.N. peacekeeping positions in south Lebanon on Friday were "unacceptable".

He sent his condolences to the families of two soldiers who Lebanon's army says were killed in an Israeli strike in the south of the country, also on Friday.

Israeli strikes have hit the south and east of the country, as well as Beirut's southern suburbs. Three deadly air raids have also hit central Beirut.

The U.S. envoy said Israeli strikes on the central Beirut districts of Basta and Nweiri late Thursday that killed 22 people were "totally unacceptable."

"We have a continued campaign of bombing in Beirut. It needs to stop," he said.

"We're trying to bring this bombing to a close. We don't like this campaign of bombings in densely populated Beirut," Hochstein said.

Earlier on Friday, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati urged the United Nations to pass a resolution calling for an "immediate" ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.