The conflicts in Lebanon and Gaza threaten to spiral into a regional war. Iran’s firing of around 180 missiles at Israel on October 1st did relatively little damage owing to Israel’s missile-defence systems and American military assistance. Just one person died, in the West Bank, from falling shrapnel.

Israel and Hezbollah were fighting at close range in southern Lebanon on Wednesday across steep, unforgiving terrain.

The Lebanese health minister stated in a press briefing that the death toll had quickly increased to more than 270, including 21 children and 31 women. In all, 1,024 people were hurt. Israel's military claims it struck more than 300 Hezbollah targets.

Israel has invaded southern Lebanon in a dramatic escalation of its conflict with Hezbollah. The Israeli ground operation began on Monday night, days after an air strike killed the leader of the Iran-backed armed group, Hassan Nasrallah.

Israel killed at least 558 people, including 50 children and 94 women, in air strikes it conducted across Lebanon since September 23. At least 1,835 Lebanese people were wounded in the attacks, the country’s Ministry of Public Health said.

The barrage of missiles from Iran followed “localized” ground raids by Israeli forces in southern Lebanon to root out Hezbollah fighters.

Israel said on Wednesday eight of its soldiers were killed in combat in south Lebanon as its forces thrust into its northern neighbour in a campaign against the Hezbollah armed group. The losses were the deadliest suffered by the Israeli military on the Lebanon front in the past year of border-area clashes between Israel and its Iranian-backed Lebanese foe.

The Israeli military struck the Lebanese capital, marking a gradual expansion of what it says are strikes targeting Hezbollah there, as its forces fight with the militant group in the country’s south.

Lebanese officials say more than 1,000 people have been killed in the past two weeks