Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon intensified on May 30 as the army issued evacuation warnings for residents of seven villages after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces had advanced beyond the Litani River despite a cease-fire that officially took effect on April 17.

Netanyahu said on May 29 that Israeli forces "have crossed the Litani" River and moved onto higher ground while "striking Hezbollah hard."

Israeli officials said the military aims to establish a wider security zone in southern Lebanon to push Hezbollah farther from the border.

The Israel Defense Forces said it was acting against Hezbollah in response to alleged violations of the cease-fire and warned residents to leave areas near the group's positions.

Later on May 30, an Israeli strike hit a Lebanese Armed Forces position in the south, wounding two soldiers.

Iran-backed Hezbollah, which is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, claimed it launched rockets at the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona, ambushed Israeli troops near Ghandouriyeh and attacked Israeli positions near the Beaufort fortress and a military base in northern Israel.

The Israeli military said some projectiles were intercepted after being fired from Lebanon, with one hitting near Kiryat Shmona.

The escalation came a day after Israeli and Lebanese military delegations held talks at the Pentagon within the framework of of a new US-backed "security track" between the two countries.

The Pentagon described the discussions as "productive" and said they would feed into a State Department-led political track next week.

In a May 29 call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stressed "the need to exert all efforts to reach a cease-fire."