At least six people have been killed in a rare Israeli air strike in central Beirut, just metres away from Lebanon’s parliament.

The “precision” strike targeted a Hezbollah-affiliated medical facility, a day after Israel suffered its deadliest day on the Lebanon front in a year. The Iran-backed terror group began firing rockets at northern Israel on Oct 8 last year.

There were five other air strikes overnight against targets in the southern suburb of Dahieh, a known Hezbollah stronghold.

The attacks came after Iran launched its largest missile attack yet on its arch-foe Israel, prompting Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, to warn Tehran that it would pay for its “big mistake”.

Iran, which backs Hezbollah, said it would step up its response if Israel retaliates, defying calls for de-escalation in a war that has cost more than 1,000 lives in Lebanon.

The latest Israeli strike hit a Hezbollah rescue facility, killing at least six people, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

Mr Netanyahu has vowed Israel will win in its war against Hezbollah after the death of eight soldiers in Lebanon. 

Paying tribute to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers, the Israeli prime minister said: “I would like to send my heartfelt condolences to the families of our heroes who fell today in Lebanon, may God avenge them, and may their memories be a blessing.”

Mr Netanyahu went on to say that Israel was in the middle of a “tough war against Iran’s axis of evil”.

“This will not happen,” Mr Netanyahu said, adding: “Because we will stand together, and with God’s help, we will win together.”

The IDF continued attacking Hezbollah targets across Lebanon on Wednesday after Iran launched around 200 missiles at Tel Aviv on Tuesday in response to Israel’s ground invasion across the border.

Israel is considering its response to the large-scale missile attack, with pressure growing for a definitive strike against Tehran, but Mr Netanyahu is reportedly waiting to coordinate his country’s response with Washington.