Israeli defence minister says fighting on Lebanon border will continue

While Yoav Gallant was visiting soldiers on that border, he said that "as long as the fighting continues in the south, there will be fighting in the north".

Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah have been exchanging fire along the two countries' border at a near daily rate since early October.

Gallant told his American counterpart Lloyd Austin on Thursday that Israel has a duty to restore security to its border region, and was "prepared to do this through military force".