Israel's ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, has been instructed to reject any ceasefire request while negotiations with Lebanon continue, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Tuesday, citing sources

The Israeli military said Tuesday that a soldier had been killed in Lebanon, the first since a U.S.-Iran temporary truce came into force that Israel insisted does not include the country where it is fighting Hezbollah.

"Sergeant Major (Res.) Ayal Uriel Bianco, aged 30, from Katzrin, a firefighting vehicle driver in the 188th Brigade, fell during combat in southern Lebanon," the Israeli military said in a statement, later adding that overnight clashes between Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah militants left 10 soldiers wounded in the strategically significant southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, which Israeli forces have encircled.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem on Monday urged the Lebanese state to cancel a planned meeting with Israel in Washington the following day, reiterating his group's rejection of direct negotiations with Israel.

President Joseph Aoun on Monday told visiting Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani that "Lebanon hopes that the upcoming meeting tomorrow in Washington between the ambassadors of Lebanon, the United States, and Israel will result in an agreement on a ceasefire in Lebanon, paving the way for direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israeli forces had eliminated the threat of an invasion by Hezbollah fighters during an alleged visit to troops in southern Lebanon.

His reported visit comes two days before officials from Lebanon, Israel and the United States are due to hold direct talks in Washington.

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Friday called on the Lebanese government to stop giving what he called "free concessions" to Israel, with the two governments due to begin negotiations in Washington next week.

Lebanon wants a ceasefire before starting any negotiations with Israel, a Lebanese government official told AFP on Thursday, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered his cabinet to begin direct talks with Beirut.

The Israeli military said it struck a Hezbollah commander in Beirut on Wednesday, after Lebanese state media reported that Israel had targeted the Tallet al-Khayyat residential neighborhood in the capital.

The U.S.-Iran ceasefire does not apply to Israel's strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios, contradicting statements from Iran and the Pakistani mediators.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the ceasefire agreement between the U.S., Israel and Iran "fully includes Lebanon," which is in opposition to the stance taken by Israel as it continues an offensive there.

Macron said the inclusion of Lebanon in the deal is "a good and even essential thing."