Israeli military launches attacks on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon

TEL AVIV - The Israeli military said on Thursday it had begun a wave of attacks against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, shortly after it issued evacuation warnings for residents in the area.

Lebanon is under pressure from the United States, Saudi Arabia and Hezbollah's domestic rivals to disarm the militant group.

Hezbollah has said it would be a serious misstep even to discuss disarmament while Israel is continuing airstrikes on Lebanon and occupying swaths of territory in southern Lebanon.

The United States brokered a truce in November between Lebanon and Israel following more than a year of conflict sparked by the war in Gaza.