As a top adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei visited Lebanon for talks, Lebanese officials said a U.S. proposal for a cease-fire deal had been passed on to Hezbollah.

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has appeared to encourage Tehran to convince Hezbollah, which it supports, to agree to a deal that could require the militant group to withdraw from the Israel-Lebanon border.

A top Iranian official has pledged his country's unwavering support for Lebanon after talks with Lebanese leaders on the Israel-Hezbollah war.

Syria is likely also to continue to be a hunting ground for Israeli air power working its way down the long list of Hezbollah and Iranian targets in the country.

By Riham Alkousaa and Ari Rabinovitch BEIRUT/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Diplomacy aimed at securing a ceasefire in Lebanon showed tentative signs of progress on Thursday as Israel pounded its northern neighbour including heavy airstrikes on the stronghold of armed group Hezbollah near Beirut.

Israel carried out more strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon Friday, leveling a building in Beirut. The attack comes as a top Iranian official is vowing to support the Lebanese and the U.S. pushes for a cease-fire.