Lebanon`s Health Ministry said 66 people were wounded in the strikes, which were the fourth in central Beirut in less than a week

The escalation comes after US envoy Amos Hochstein travelled to the region in pursuit of a deal to end months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has erupted into full-on war

Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,500 people in Lebanon, according to Lebanon`s Health Ministry. The fighting has displaced about 1.2 million people, or a quarter of Lebanon`s population. On the Israeli side, about 90 soldiers and nearly 50 civilians have been killed by bombardment in northern Israel and the fighting

The 4 am strikes destroyed an eight-storey building in central Beirut. Hezbollah legislator Amin Shiri said no Hezbollah officials were inside. The attack stripped the facades from some nearby buildings and crumpled cars

"The area is residential, with closely packed buildings and narrow streets, making the situation challenging," said Walid Al-Hashash, a first responder with the Lebanese Civil Defence

Israel`s military did not comment on the casualties

Also Saturday, a drone strike killed two people and injured three in the southern Lebanese port city of Tyre, according to the Lebanese state-run National News Agency

Mohammed Bikai, spokesperson for the Fatah Palestinian faction in the Tyre area, said those killed were Palestinian refugees from nearby al-Rashidieh camp who were out fishing

Two Western diplomatic officials on Saturday described disputed points between Israel and Lebanon in cease-fire negotiations. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the talks