The Lebanese militant group captured an advanced Israeli anti-tank missile in the 2006 war, and its ally, Iran, reverse-engineered it, Israeli officials say.

For years, Israelis were told that in the next war with Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia would fire thousands of rockets and missiles a day, overwhelming their air defenses, causing blackouts, death and destruction.

Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah traded deadly blows on Thursday as their war raged on despite signs of progress in U.S. ceasefire efforts, with airstrikes pounding Beirut's southern suburbs and rockets flying into northern Israel.

As U.S. diplomat Amos Hochstein visited the region to push for a ceasefire, Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs and the eastern Bekaa region, and a barrage of rockets fired from Lebanon killed a man in northern Israel.

The group’s supporters remain steadfast in the face of widespread displacement and thousands of deaths.

A United Nations resolution that ended the last round of deadly conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006 is seen as the cornerstone of a new ceasefire being negotiated by the United States.

Four Italian soldiers were lightly wounded amid clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.

A US envoy has arrived in Israel to continue negotiations on a ceasefire with Lebanon's Hezbollah movement, after reporting “additional progress” during a second day of talks in Beirut.

These missiles have a range of up to 10 miles and they carry advanced guidance seekers to track and lock onto targets.