Forces in the U.N. peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon are maintaining their positions despite “demands” to move from the Israeli army, a spokesperson said Friday.

Andrea Tenenti of UNIFIL, the interim force in Lebanon, says a “unanimous” decision was taken by its 50 troop-contributing countries and the U.N. Security Council to hold its positions and continue efforts to monitor the conflict and ensure aid gets to civilians.

Egyptian officials are carrying out continuous discussions with U.S., Saudi and French officials, separately and collectively, over the importance of de-escalation in Lebanon, al-Akhbar newspaper reported.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has called for unity to confront Israel, for a ceasefire, and for the election of a consensual president.

In remarks to al-Modon web portal, Bassil said the priority is for a ceasefire and for deterring a possible re-occupation of south Lebanon.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea accused the Lebanese government of becoming "a rescue committee" instead of a state and of allowing Iran to fight its battles from Lebanon.

In remarks published Friday in Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, Geagea said that Hezbollah has dragged Lebanon to where it is now, while Lebanese officials were "loafing around" instead of calling for the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.

Hezbollah fired Friday a volley of rockets at Israel's Yoav barracks in the occupied Golan Heights and another volley of rockets at the Zofolon area north of Haifa.

The Israeli army for its part called for the evacuation of 20 southern Lebanese towns, and struck several southern towns including Jbaa, Aita al-Shaab, Zrariyeh, Marwanieh, Bazourieh, Shaaytiyeh, Ebl al-Siqi, Malkieh, and Ansar.

The Kremlin said Friday it was more concerned about the "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza and Lebanon, when asked about Israel's killing of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar.

"For us, the main thing is the consequences for civilians that we are seeing... The humanitarian catastrophe that is observed both in Gaza and in Lebanon is the subject of our serious concern," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Friday condemned remarks attributed to Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf about Tehran's readiness to negotiate with France over the implementation of Resolution 1701.

The Israeli military said overnight that five soldiers had been killed in combat in southern Lebanon, taking to 19 the number of troop deaths announced since Israel began raids into Lebanon last month.

Hezbollah says it is entering a new phase in its fight against invading Israeli troops, adding that it has introduced new weapons over the past days.

A statement from the group’s operations room overnight said that Hezbollah’s fighters have used new types of precision-guided missiles and explosive drones for the first time.

Lebanon’s crisis response unit said 45 people were killed and 179 wounded in the past 24 hours.

The new numbers announced Thursday raises the total toll over the past year of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah to 2,412 killed and 11,285 wounded, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.