Israel strikes buildings in south Lebanon after Netanyahu orders attacks on Hezbollah

Israeli airstrikes targeted the southern towns of Haddatha, Zibqine, al-Sultaniyeh and Kherbet Selm, as the Israeli army said it hit "buildings used by Hezbollah for military purposes."

The strikes came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to strike Hezbollah hard after what the army said was a string of ceasefire violations.

According to a brief statement from his office, the premier "ordered the IDF (army) to forcefully attack Hezbollah targets in Lebanon," after the military said the Iran-backed group had violated a ceasefire that was extended earlier this week.

Several hours earlier, in several separate statements, the military said it had "eliminated more than 15 terrorists in southern Lebanon", including three who were driving a vehicle "loaded with weapons".

It also accused the militants of "launching explosive drones toward IDF (army( soldiers" in the Qantara area that "detonated" near the troops but caused no injuries.

Israeli troops had also found "an anti-tank missile cache in a Hezbollah weapons storage facility" and an underground shaft containing Kalashnikov rifles, it said.