ISTANBUL

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military on Sunday to “immediately” strike bridges over the Litani River in southern Lebanon, according to Israeli media.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said the order allegedly aims “to prevent the passage” of Hezbollah fighters and weapons southward, The Times of Israel news portal reported.

The army says it plans to target the Qasmiya Bridge on the coastal highway in southern Lebanon, claiming that the structure is being used for “militant activity” and the transfer of operatives “under the cover of the civilian population.”

Katz said he instructed the military “to accelerate the destruction of Lebanese homes in the line of contact villages, to thwart threats to Israeli communities, in accordance with the model of Beit Hanoun and Rafah,” referencing actions used in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army has pounded Lebanon with airstrikes and launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack by Hezbollah on March 2.

Last week, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said that Israeli army forces are currently operating 7-9 kilometers inside Lebanese territory.

According to Lebanese authorities, at least 1,024 people have since been killed and 2,740 injured in Israeli attacks since March 2.

The current escalation followed a joint US-Israeli offensive on Iran, which has killed over 1,300 people since Feb. 28. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries, which it says are targeting “US military assets.”