BEIRUT: Hezbollah said on Thursday its fighters were battling Israeli forces in south Lebanon, as a military source on the ground said Israeli troops were slowly advancing while “systematically destroying” border towns. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Iran-backed Hezbollah attacked Israel to avenge the killing of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel responded with intense strikes on Lebanon that have killed at least 968 people and displaced over a million more, according to local authorities, and by launching ground operations in the south.

Troops are targeting "Hezbollah strongholds" in south Lebanon, where strikes reportedly killed seven people on Monday.

Israeli army says its forces are targeting key locations in southern Lebanon, aiming to expand forward defence zones.