Israel's military chief has ordered troops to expand the area under Israeli control in southern Lebanon as the country's operation against Hezbollah intensifies.
"We are striking with force, on the front line and deeper in Lebanon. I instructed Israeli army forces to move forward and deepen the line of control along the border, while establishing positions at key points in southern Lebanon," Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said during a televised address on Thursday.
In a separate statement, the Israeli military said an officer had been "severely injured" during combat in southern Lebanon, while another soldier was moderately wounded in the same area.
Genocidal behaviour
Meanwhile, Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has threatened to intensify the bombardment of Beirut's southern suburbs until they resemble the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
The far-right minister made the remarks during a field tour along Israel's border with Lebanon, including the towns of Ma’alot, Shlomi and Zar'it, according to the Israeli news portal Walla.
Khan Younis was almost completely destroyed during Israel's two-year genocide in Gaza, which has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians and injured more than 172,000 others.
The conflict has also caused massive damage to about 90 percent of civilian infrastructure, with reconstruction costs estimated by the UN at around $70 billion.
Smotrich said Hezbollah "made a mistake and will pay a heavy price", referring to the group's attacks in response to Israel’s expanded shelling of southern Lebanon in recent days.
