An unprecedented five hours of continuous Israeli strikes have hit Beirut, sending residents fleeing onto the streets. Attacks spread beyond the capital, with "massive" blasts in the south. The fate of the leader of Hezbollah remains unknown following yet more airstrikes yesterday.

A fresh wave of air raids hit Beirut's southern suburbs in the early hours of Saturday as Israel stepped up attacks on Hezbollah, after a massive strike on the Iran-backed movement's command centre that apparently targeted leader Hassan Nasrallah.

The Israeli military says it struck the central headquarters of Hezbollah in Beirut, and sources told The Associated Press that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah​ was the target.