Israel says dozens of warplanes striking south Lebanon as fears of regional war remain higher than ever

Srinagar, Sept 22: The Israeli military said that dozens of its warplanes were striking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon late Saturday as fears of an all-out-war rise amid intensified cross-border exchanges.

The country that has unleashed a brutal war on Gaza and has been convicted by the International Court of Justice for war crimes has announced reinforcement for its northern part.

"In the last hour we are attacking widely in southern Lebanon following the identification of Hezbollah's preparations to fire into Israeli territory," military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a televised statement shortly after 8:00 pm (1700 GMT), reported Naharnet.

"Dozens of air force aircraft are currently attacking terror targets and launchers to eliminate threats against the citizens of Israel."

Another wave of airstrikes followed around three hours later.

Earlier in the day the Israeli military said it had hit thousands of rocket launcher barrels and other targets which it said belonged to Hezbollah.

The barrages came one day after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs killed 37 people, according to Lebanese officials, including senior commanders of Hezbollah.

Friday's strike followed sabotage attacks on pagers and two-way radios used by Hezbollah on Tuesday and Wednesday, which killed 39 people and wounded around 3,000. Hezbollah blamed Israel, which has not commented.

Hezbollah began cross-border attacks on Israel after Hamas' unprecedented October 7 attack on southern Israel.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced from both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border.

On Tuesday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced an expansion of Israel's "war goals to include the return of northern Israeli residents."

"It is possible that rockets and additional threats will be launched towards the country in the near future," Hagari said in his televised statement.

In a separate statement late Saturday, the military said it was tightening restrictions on public gatherings in northern Israel.

"Gatherings will be limited to 30 participants in an open area, to 300 participants in a closed space," the statement said.

"Arrival to work is permitted as long as there is a protected space available, and educational activities can continue as long as there are protected spaces available," the statement added, referring to shelters.