Israel intensified its bombing campaign in Beirut Thursday, leading Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to claim his country "has been torn to shreds" by the conflict. Israeli aircraft dropped 23 tons of explosives on a bunker in southern Beirut, which it suspected of harboring Hezbollah's leadership, including the militant group's chief Sheik Hassan Nasrallah. Israeli radio reported that the pilots had made a "direct hit" on the bunker. But, Hezbollah dismissed the claims, saying a mosque had been hit instead and "no Hezbollah leaders or personnel were killed in the strike."

63 Lebanese civilians were killed Wednesday in the most deadly day of fighting since the conflict began nine days ago. One airstrike on the village of Srifa in southern Lebanon killed at least 17 civilians. Two Israeli-Arab children were killed in Nazareth after a Hezbollah rocket attack struck the city. Two Israeli soldiers were also killed as troops made incursions inside the Lebanese border.

The Israeli army confirmed there have been clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah militia in two places north of the Israeli border village of Avivim. The army also claimed to have destroyed half of Hezbollah's suspected arsenal of 12,000 rockets since the conflict began.

Meanwhile Israeli attacks on the Palestinian territories continued Wedneday. 13 Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank died as Israel launched an assault on the Maghaz refugee camp in Gaza, home to some 22,000 Palestinians. The Israeli army claimed it had made incursions in Gaza to target the "infrastructure of a tunnel being dug towards Israel."

Lebanon's Prime Minister Siniora angrily suggested the war had now claimed the lives of 300 people and that 500,000 Lebanese have been displaced by the conflict, resulting in the serious risk of a devastating refugee crisis. "I call on you to respond immediately and without reservation to our call for a cease-fire and to provide urgent international humanitarian aid," he said, in a televised address. "Is this the price we pay for aspiring to build our democratic institutions? Can the international community stand by while such callous retribution by the state of Israel is inflicted on us?"

The United Nations has warned of humanitarian disaster as bombed roads and bridges have made it difficult to reach those who may need help. Unicef branded the plight of refugees "alarming" and insisted corridors must be created to enable displaced persons to leave the country. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour has warned that the targeting of civilians in Lebanon, Israel and the Gaza Strip could amount to war crimes. "The scale of the killings in the region, and their predictability, could engage the personal criminal responsibility of those involved," she said.

At least 15,000 people have been cut off from international assistance in two villages in southern Lebanon due to heavy Israeli bombardment, the Lebanese Red Cross has reported. One volunteer told news agency DPA: "We are appealing to the Israelis to allow our cars at least to move in the village of Blida and Rmeish to evacuate the wounded and sick… Some of the trapped are Lebanese who hold German, British and Canadian passports," he said, claiming the villages were cut off and therefore these people were unable to make contact with their embassies. Among the trapped refugees are many seriously wounded in desperate need of aid and supplies, he added. 40,000 displaced Lebanese are in makeshift shelters in schools and parks around the capital, Beirut.

Thousands of foreign nationals continue to try to leave Lebanon and nearby Cyprus has appealed for international assistance as the country has been swamped by up to 60,000 evacuees desperate to flee the conflict zone. US marines have arrived in Beirut to assist in the American evacuation and a Pentagon chartered cruise ship, the 'Orient Queen' brought 1,000 US citizens safely to Cyprus. 2,300 Germans were bussed out of Lebanon towards the Syrian capital, Damascus, and to Turkey. Charter flights have been booked to fly the evacuees home.

An Israeli foreign ministry spokesman has asked Germany to play a leading role in trying to free the kidnapped Israeli soldiers. Jigal Palmor told German TV channel ZDF that German negotiators have played an important role freeing hostages in the past. "Now is the time for these same officials from Germany to be able to work again," he said. The German government played the role of intermediary two years ago in securing an exchange of prisoners between Hezbollah and Israel.