The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees says a top Hamas commander killed in Lebanon Monday was one of its employees but had been suspended since allegations of his ties to the militant group emerged in March.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency said that Fateh al-Sharif was placed on leave without pay in March after it launched an investigation into his political activities.

Tehran said the attack is in retaliation for the killing of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.

António Guterres said it was time to stop what he called the 'deadly cycle of tit-for-tat violence' in the Middle East.

The United Nations warned Israel against a possible ground offensive in Lebanon on Monday as fears grew that an attack could be imminent. "We do not want to see any sort of ground invasion," said Stéphane Dujarric,

The Israeli military on Tuesday announced the start of a ground invasion of southern Lebanon as all talks of deescalation and ceasefire faded away.