'Forty killed' in Israeli airstrike

An Israeli airstrike on a Lebanese border village has reportedly left 40 people dead.

The airstrike on the southern Lebanese village of Houla was one of several fresh airstrikes on Lebanon, with reports of at least 20 fatalities in earlier raids in the country.

Ground battles between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters are also continuing. One Israeli soldier is reported to have been killed in combat in the village of Bint Jbeil. The Israeli army also claimed to have killed five Hezbollah fighters in the same area, while militants claimed to have killed four Israeli soldiers near Houla. The Israeli army said that the troops were only slightly wounded.

The latest violence comes after Israel suffered its worst losses in the conflict so far. Rocket attacks on the northern Israel city of Haifa left three civilians dead, while 12 reservist soldiers died in the town of Kfar Giladi.

The UN Security Council is expected to vote on a resolution aimed at paving the way for a ceasefire on Tuesday.

The resolution calls for an end to Hezbollah's military operations, as well as Israel's offensive into Lebanon and paves the way for a second resolution which would allow the formation of an international force to be deployed in southern Lebanon.

However, the resolution would allow Israel to retaliate if the country was attacked by Hezbollah.

However, Hezbollah has already stated that it would not agree to a ceasefire until all Israeli soldiers left Lebanon. Lebanon also wants clarification on the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the country.

The Israeli offensive into Lebanon was launched in response to the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah fighters on July 12.

More than 900 Lebanese, many of them civilians, and more than 90 Israelis, most of them soldiers, have been killed since the conflict began.

(KMcA)