Power outage reported in Lebanon's southern villages due to Israeli shelling

Several villages in southern Lebanon went through total darkness as heavy artillery apparently struck pylons and electricity lines during Monday night's Israeli army bombings.

According to Lebanon's official National News Agency, heavy Israeli shelling of Rabb al-Talatine caused power outages in several southern villages, including Taybeh and Deir Seryan.

The exchange of fire between the Israeli army and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah group continued amid an important visit to Israel by US President Joe Biden's senior adviser Amos Hochstein on Monday, which is aimed at easing tensions between Israel and Lebanon.

Hochstein is expected to visit Lebanon later on Tuesday as part of his efforts to defuse the situation.

Since the war in Gaza began last October, there have been daily exchanges of fire, and thousands of civilians have been displaced on both sides of the shared border.

Tensions have risen along Lebanon's border with Israel amid cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israeli forces as Tel Aviv presses ahead with its deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 37,300 people since last October following a Hamas attack.