The Lebanese army had given itself until the end of 2025 to complete the first phase of its plan to clear the south and disarm non-state groups, including Hezbollah. The Iran-backed group has been resisting attempts to disarm it, as Israel continues its bombardment of the south and east of the country where Hezbollah has traditionally held sway.

Israeli forces killed at least 11 Palestinians in separate strikes in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, medics said, hours after the military said it had hit the site of a failed militant rocket launch, the latest violence to jeopardise the ceasefire.