Lebanon and Israel are set to hold the first direct diplomatic talks in decades on Tuesday in Washington following more than a month of war between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group that has rocked the tiny Mediterranean country.

At least 36 people were killed and dozens of others injured in Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon since dawn Wednesday, as regional escalation continued to flare up, Lebanese media reported.

Israel carried out strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday, hours after the United States and Iran reached a Pakistani-mediated two-week cease-fire.

The escalating conflict in West Asia widened today following Israel's airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon, following projectile fire from Lebanese territory into northern Israel.