Israel orders more troops to northern border, intensifies strikes on Hezbollah

Israel's military chief ordered on Thursday to reinforce forces along the country's northern border with Lebanon, citing intensified rocket attacks from Lebanon toward northern Israel over the past day.



During a situation assessment meeting at the Northern Command, military chief Eyal Zamir approved plans "to further intensify strikes against Hezbollah," military spokesman Effie Defrin said in a press briefing.



He added that Zamir also instructed the military to further boost troop deployments along the border after about 100,000 reservists were already mobilized to the north earlier in March.



Defrin also said the military had targeted sites belonging to Hezbollah's Radwan Force unit with airstrikes and artillery.



The developments marked the latest escalation in a deadly regional conflict that began with a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on Feb. 28, during which Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed.



Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Shiite group in Lebanon, later fired rockets and drones toward Israel, citing retaliation for Ali Khamenei's killing. Israel responded with heavy bombardments of southern Lebanon and Beirut, and its troops crossed into Lebanon on March 3 and seized several areas near the border.