The Israeli military warned residents of the areas in southern Lebanon to "leave immediately" as it carried out a series of strikes against Hezbollah.

"Anyone who is near the areas where Hezbollah operates should leave immediately to protect themselves and their families," the military said in an Arabic-language message.

"The IDF (military) will do whatever is necessary to protect the citizens of Israel. In the coming hours we will update you on the latest developments," it added.