Iran parliament speaker visits site of deadly Israeli strike on central Beirut

Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Saturday denounced Israel's "crimes" as he visited the site of the deadliest Israeli strike on central Beirut in recent weeks, an AFP photographer said.

A source close to Hezbollah has said that the air raid on Thursday night in the densely populated Basta area, which killed at least 22 people, had targeted the Iran-backed Lebanese group's security chief Wafiq Safa.

But neither the Israeli military nor Hezbollah confirmed that he was the target of the strike, nor did they remark on his fate.

Speaking to the press, accompanied by two Hezbollah lawmakers, Ghalibaf denounced what he called Israel's "crimes".

"International organisations and the UN Security Council have the capability (to stop Israel) but they are unfortunately keeping silent," he said.

Earlier Saturday, Ghalibaf met Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who told him his government's priority was "to work towards a ceasefire", Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said.

The premier on Friday urged the United Nations to pass a resolution calling for an "immediate" ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

Ghalibaf was also expected to meet his Lebanese counterpart Nabih Berri, before heading to Geneva later the same day, according to Berri's office and Iran's state news agency IRNA.

When he visited Lebanon on Friday last week, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his country backed efforts for a simultaneous ceasefire with Israel in both Gaza and Lebanon.

More than 2,100 people have been killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon, amid its cross-border conflict with Hezbollah, which dramatically escalated in late September, which was followed by a subsequent ground invasion of the country.