Israeli warplanes struck a building which housed the office of a senior Hezbollah leader in the southern Lebanese port city of Tyre yesterday, according to reports reaching here.

The mulit-story building, which housed the office of top Hezbollah leader in south Lebanon Sheikh Nabil Kaouk, was destroyed in the Israeli air raid, according to the reports.

Kaouk was not in the building at the time of the attack. Rescue teams were searching the debris for possible victims. At least seven people near the building were injured in the attack, said the reports.

Israeli warplanes launched about two dozens of airstrikes on south Lebanon on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, eight Israeli soldiers were killed and 22 others wounded during fierce clashes against Hezbollah guerillas near the southern Lebanese border town of Bint Jbeil on Wednesday.

Over 400 Lebanese and 50 Israelis have been killed in the 15-day-old violence between Israel and Hezbollah which broke out on July 12 following the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah guerillas in cross-border attacks.