Israel has doubled its number of troops along its border with Lebanon since March 1 and is now searching homes in southern Lebanese villages evacuated by the military. The commander, who declined to specify how many troops Israel has now deployed in the area, stated that the plan is to ensure Hezbollah does not have any military infrastructure. He added that troops are searching villages to determine if Hezbollah has hidden weapons or communications centres. Hezbollah has denied using civilian infrastructure to store weapons and accuses Israel of destroying homes to prevent Lebanese from returning, a claim Israel denies. At least 968 people in Lebanon have been killed since the start of Israel's attacks, according to Lebanese authorities. The Israeli military is advancing slowly through southern Lebanon, aiming to completely clear the town of ‌Khiyam as a first step before advancing toward the Litani River.