Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Friday said he believes there is still room to prevent an escalation in the Middle East. "I believe there is still an open crack to prevent an escalation in the region,

U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon urged immediate de-escalation as hostilities rumbled on at the Lebanese-Israeli border on Friday, following Israel's most intense airstrikes in nearly a year of conflict with the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

By Laila Bassam and Maya Gebeily BEIRUT/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli warplanes carried out late on Thursday their most intense strikes on southern Lebanon in nearly a year of war, heightening the conflict between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah amid calls for restraint.

Lebanon’s death toll from a series of walkie-talkie and pager explosions this week rose to 37, according to local authorities, an illustration of the devastation wrought by a wave of suspected Israeli attacks against Hezbollah militants.

Hezbollah's leader says the mass explosions in Lebanon on the group's communications devices was a "severe blow" and said Israel has crossed a "red line."

Israeli forces late Thursday carried out their most intense strike on southern Lebanon in nearly one year of war, increasing tensions between the two countries despite international calls for calm. In the operation,