Israel vowed to respond forcefully to all Hezbollah attacks after the group fired a barrage of rockets and drones across the border for the second successive day on Thursday.

"Israel will respond with force to all aggressions by Hezbollah," Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said during a press briefing, adding that "whether through diplomatic efforts or otherwise, Israel will restore security on our northern border."

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Thursday wrapped up his presidential consultative tour by meeting with the head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, MP Mohammad Raad.

An FPM statement said the two men “discussed the stances of the parties on the call for consultations on the basis of agreeing on a presidential candidate or going to a presidential election.”

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein on Thursday warned against any major Israeli attack on south Lebanon.

“I discussed with my Iranian counterpart the dangerous signals about the possibility of an attack on south Lebanon and the expansion of the war’s geography,” Hussein said after meeting acting Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani.

Israeli army officials have told Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the Israeli government “has not decided yet whether to launch an extensive military strike on Hezbollah in Lebanon.”

Israel will however “continue to carry out targeted killings and strikes on the group's senior commanders and central compounds,” the officials added.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) celebrated Thursday at Notre Dame University-Louaize the impact of its Community Support Program (CSP), which has provided local development assistance to more than 746,000 people across 180 communities in Lebanon over six years (2018-2024).

"This support comes as local municipalities and communities are bearing a particularly heavy toll in trying to provide much-needed public services like water and household electricity against the backdrop of Lebanon’s deepening economic crisis," USAID said in a statement.

The Biden administration has grown “extremely concerned” that escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah in recent days might deteriorate into an all-out war and is scrambling to prevent it, U.S. news portal Axios quoted U.S. officials as saying.

“The U.S. is concerned about Israel rushing into a war with Hezbollah — or getting dragged into one — without a clear strategy or consideration of the full implications of a wider conflict,” the officials said.

Hezbollah launched rocket and drone attacks on several Israeli army bases and positions on Thursday, after an Israeli strike killed one of its senior commanders.

Hezbollah fighters launched "an attack with rockets and drones, targeting six barracks and military sites" while simultaneously flying "squadrons of explosive-laden drones" at three other Israeli bases, the group said in a statement.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has renewed calls for a diplomatic solution between Israel and Lebanon and said a Gaza ceasefire deal would have a major effect lowering tensions.

"What I've heard from everyone concerned," Blinken told reporters in Doha Wednesday, "is there's a strong preference for a diplomatic solution."

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea hit out anew Wednesday at Speaker Nabih Berri over the presidential crisis.

“Mr. Speaker Berri, we are pleased that you are not afraid of threats, and accordingly, since you are not afraid of threats nor of anything, you can call for a serious presidential election session with successive rounds so that we elect a president and relieve the Lebanese, at least in this file,” Geagea said in a post on the X platform.

Britain-based Middle East specialist Amal Saad on Wednesday played down the prospect of wider escalation between Hezbollah and Israel following the latter’s assassination of a senior Hezbollah commander in south Lebanon a day earlier.

"I don't think that the death of this highest-ranking commander is going to change any of Hezbollah's calculations," Saad said, explaining that civilian casualties were "red lines" for the group rather than the targeting of commanders or fighters.