On Sunday, the Israeli military carried out what it called a "large wave of attacks" against Hezbollah and infrastructure used by the Iran-backed militia.
Among other things, a strategic bridge over the Litani River was destroyed. The bridge, near the port city of Tyre, was used by Hezbollah to transport weapons, according to Israel. The bridge was also part of a main route from Tyre to Beirut and the rest of Lebanon.
Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir says ground operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah will be expanded, AFP reports.
"The operation against the terrorist organization Hezbollah has only just begun... This is a protracted operation," he said in a statement.
He further said the attacks would continue according to an "organized plan".
Fears of occupation
The attacks came shortly after the defense minister ordered the demolition of villages in southern Lebanon "of a magnitude similar to Rafah and Beit Hanoun," towns in Gaza that were largely destroyed during the two-year war, The New York Times reports. The aim is said to be to protect Israeli border villages from Hezbollah.
Katz has also, according to The Times of Israel, ordered the military to "immediately destroy all bridges over the Litani River used for terrorist activity." This week, at least two other bridges over the river were destroyed, according to AFP.
The military has urged residents of a number of villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate and has established a buffer zone on Lebanese territory at the border, which many Lebanese fear will develop into a de facto occupation of the southern parts of the country.
First death
On Sunday, Hezbollah said it had attacked Israeli soldiers near the border, according to AFP. Rescue workers reported that one person was killed by rockets fired from Lebanon.
The death is the first in Israel from attacks from Lebanon since the fighting began on March 2.
In Lebanon, over 1,000 people have been killed in the war, according to the country's health authorities.
