Senior Israeli officials have appealed to senior US officials to allow the IDF to expand the strikes in Beirut, two sources told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.
According to the sources, Israeli officials are hopeful that, given the lack of progress in both the negotiations between Washington and Tehran and the talks between Israel and Lebanon, the US response will be favorable.
Early Monday morning, UK Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper called on Israel to halt its Lebanon operations, saying, "It must end."
"Israel's military escalation in Lebanon has killed and displaced civilians, destroyed infrastructure, and eroded space for diplomacy," said Cooper.
On Sunday, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called for all sides in the conflict to cease hostilities, describing Israel's push into southern Lebanon as "cause for serious concern."
"Any further escalation will exacerbate the already tense situation and trigger new waves of displacement within Lebanon," Wadephul added.
On Sunday morning, the IDF announced it had taken control of the Beaufort Ridge outpost and Wadi al-Saluki areas north of the Litani River in southern Lebanon. The IAF, artillery, and tanks conducted extensive support strikes against Hezbollah infrastructure in the area to reduce resistance ahead of the advance.
IDF plans Nabatiya advance, would be furthest yet
The military added that it was operating near the Hezbollah stronghold of Nabatiya and is prepared to expand operations.
Nabatiya, around 20 kilometers from the Israel-Lebanon border, would be the farthest that IDF ground forces have advanced.
The military's ground forces were about 10 kilometers from the border when the ceasefire began on April 17.
The IDF said on Tuesday that it would invade past the ceasefire's Yellow Line and the Litani River in response to ongoing Hezbollah drone attacks that have killed and wounded an increasing number of soldiers.
Yonah Jeremy Bob and Reuters contributed to this report.