The escalation between Hezbollah and Israel has escalated amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, which has resulted in dozens of deaths in retaliatory airstrikes. The Israeli military has deployed additional forces to southern Lebanon overnight to guard against any potential Hezbollah attack. The move has exacerbated long-standing divisions within Lebanon over Hezbollah's status as an "armed group". Hezbollah's move to join the conflict has exacerbated longstanding divisions over its role as an armed group. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz authorised the military to advance and take control of additional positions in southern Lebanon. The south, a key Hezbollah stronghold, has been seen as a crucial stronghold for the Hezbollah insurgency. Israeli military reportedly ordered residents of the border strip of southern Lebanon to evacuate and incursions along the border.