Israeli military urges residents of 11 southern Lebanon towns to move to open areas

Military says it is conducting operations against Hezbollah, described as a violation of their ceasefire agreement

The Israeli military issued an urgent warning on Sunday to residents of 11 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, urging them to evacuate their homes and move at least 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) away to open areas.

The military said it was conducting operations against Hezbollah following what it described as a violation of their ceasefire agreement, warning that anyone near Hezbollah fighters or facilities could be at risk.

Israel has continued to carry out strikes across southern Lebanon, and its troops ​are occupying a strip of the country's south, destroying homes they describe as infrastructure being used by ⁠Hezbollah. The Israeli army has also warned residents of various southern Lebanese villages not to return, citing the ongoing military activity.

Read: Trump says Iran war should end 'soon', Hezbollah should support truce

The Iran-backed militant group has kept up its drone and rocket attacks against Israeli troops in Lebanon and on northern ​Israel.

Lebanon's health ministry said 13 people were killed on Friday in Israeli strikes in the south, including in a town where Israel's army had issued an evacuation order despite the ceasefire.

The ceasefire text grants Israel the right to act against "planned, imminent or ongoing attacks".

Read More: 9 killed, 13 injured in Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon in new ceasefire violation

Israeli soldiers are operating inside a "Yellow Line" running some 10 kilometres deep inside Lebanon's border, where they are carrying out wide-scale detonations and demolitions of buildings.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah reacted with contempt to United States President Donald Trump's announcement of a three-week extension of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, calling the truce "meaningless".

The Iran-backed militant group is still a powerful force in Lebanon, and concerns over the government's ability to bring it under control have raised questions about the ceasefire's long-term prospects.

Further, Israel has set a two-week deadline for reaching an agreement with Lebanon during their US-mediated negotiations, warning of renewed military escalation if talks fail, according to Israeli media.