UN calls for calm after Israel and Hezbollah trade strikes

Earlier, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, told a cabinet meeting that “what happened today is not the end of the story”.

“We are striking Hezbollah with surprising crushing blows,” he said. “Three weeks ago, we eliminated its chief-of-staff and today we thwarted its attack plan.”

“Nasrallah in Beirut and [Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei in Tehran need to know that this is an additional step in changing the situation in the north, and returning our residents securely to their homes.”

The UN secretary general called for “immediate de-escalation and on the parties to urgently and immediately return to a cessation of hostilities”, a spokesperson said.

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan expressed hope that Sunday’s events would not lead to an all-our regional war.

“We have worked round the clock with partners and allies, moving military assets, engaging in intensive diplomacy both publicly and privately behind the scenes to avert that outcome,” he told reporters during a visit to Halifax, Canada.

Diplomats told the Reuters news agency that the two sides had exchanged messages saying that neither wanted to take things any further.

Mr Sullivan also said US officials had been “feverishly working” at talks in Cairo in recent days to broker a new ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza, which the White House believes is key to restoring calm on the Israel-Lebanon border.

However, there has so far been no sign of a breakthrough. Hamas said in a statement on Sunday that its representatives had left the Egyptian capital to review the outcome of the talks, which they did not attend.

Egyptian security sources told Reuters news agency that neither Hamas nor Israel had agreed to several compromises presented by US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators.