Israeli military steps up strikes in south Lebanon, says it is targeting Hezbollah
On Wednesday, residents fled after Israel issued warnings on social media identifying buildings it planned to strike in four villages in the south, saying it was attacking Hezbollah military infrastructure
Highlights:
- Israel issues warnings ahead of strikes on Lebanese villages
- Lebanon reports one person killed earlier in the day
- Israel says he was a Hezbollah operative
- Strike on Tuesday was among deadliest since last year's war
The Israeli military stepped up airstrikes in south Lebanon on Wednesday, killing at least one person as it pressed a campaign of near-daily attacks which it says is designed to block a military revival by Iran-backed Hezbollah in the border area.
Israel has accused Hezbollah of trying to rearm since a US-backed ceasefire last year. The group says it has abided by.
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On Wednesday, residents fled after Israel issued warnings on social media identifying buildings it planned to strike in four villages in the south, saying it was attacking Hezbollah military infrastructure.
Strikes on the villages - Deir Kifa, Chehour, Aainata and Tayr Filsay - sent thick plumes of smoke into the air.
The Israeli military said it struck "weapons storage facilities belonging to Hezbollah's rocket unit", saying these were "located in the heart of the civilian population" and that it had taken steps to mitigate harm to civilians.
Deadly strike in refugee camp
On Tuesday, Israel carried out one of its deadliest strikes in Lebanon since last year's war with Hezbollah, killing 13 people in a Palestinian refugee camp near the southern city of Sidon, the Lebanese health ministry said.
The Israeli military said that it struck a compound in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp used by the Palestinian fighter group Hamas to carry out attacks on Israel. Hamas said Israel's claim was "pure fabrication", and that there were no military establishments in refugee camps.
A Hamas official told Reuters on Wednesday that none of the group's members were amongst the dead.
Under the terms of the truce brokered by the US and France, Lebanon's armed forces were to confiscate "all unauthorised arms", beginning in the area south of the Litani River - the zone closest to Israel.
Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem has said the agreement only applies to the area south of the Litani rather than all Lebanon.
Lebanon says Israel has violated the agreement by continuing to occupy positions in Lebanon's south.
