Israel army chief tells troops Lebanon strikes are preparing ground for attack

Israel’s army chief has told soldiers that air strikes in Lebanon are preparing the ground for them to "enter enemy territory”.

Herzi Halevi told troops: “You hear the jets overhead; we have been striking all day. This is both to prepare the ground for your possible entry and to continue degrading Hezbollah.

"Today, we will continue, we are not stopping; we keep striking and hitting them everywhere. The goal is very clear—to safely return the residents of the north,” he added.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed concern over the "almost hour-on-hour" escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, as he reiterated calls for a ceasefire.

The US and France are also working on ceasefire proposals to resolve the escalating fighting in Lebanon, Israeli sources are quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.