Sidon, April 12 -- Mourners in the coastal city of Sidon on Saturday gathered to pay tribute to 13 state security personnel killed in an Israeli strike, underscoring rising tensions in the region, according to the New York Times.

The personnel were killed a day earlier in a strike on the southern city of Nabatieh, the news report said.

According to the New York Times, Israel has stated that its operations are targeting Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia. However, the attacks have raised concerns about their broader impact, particularly on the fragile US-Iran ceasefire.

According to the news report, the escalation risks derailing ongoing diplomatic efforts, with several countries calling for Lebanon to be included in the truce to preven...