Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri killed in Beirut

By Nathan Morley

The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon says it is deeply concerned about a potential increase of violence.

A Unifil spokesman said a wider conflict would have harmful consequences for both Israel and Lebanon and urged all parties to show restraint. It comes after Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri was killed in a blast in downtown Beirut.

Israel has not confirmed whether it was responsible for the explosion.

Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border have been rising since October after the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah fired rockets toward Israel in support of the Hamas attack on Israel.

Israel responded by launching heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.

The hostilities have killed 192 people on the Lebanese side, including 137 Hezbollah members and 35 civilians.

Elsewhere, Israel launched a missile attack on bases of the Syrian army west of the capital Damascus which were believed to host fighters of the Lebanese military group Hezbollah.