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The head of Israel’s army has told troops that extensive air strikes in Lebanon targeting the armed group Hezbollah may pave the way for them to “enter enemy territory”.

The remarks by Lt Gen Halevi are the plainest indication yet from a senior figure that a ground invasion of Lebanon may be imminent.

Lt Gen Halevi said troops would “destroy the enemy” and its infrastructure. “We keep striking and hitting them everywhere,” he told soldiers from the 7th Brigade taking part in an exercise on Israel’s northern border. “The goal is very clear – to safely return the residents of the north. To achieve that, we are preparing the process of a manoeuvre, which means your military boots… will enter enemy territory.”

More than 90,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon in the last three days, according to the United Nations as Israel carried out another wave of “extensive” airstrikes in southern Lebanon.

51 people were killed in the latest Israeli attacks according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Around 500 were reported to have been killed yesterday.

Israel said it had intercepted a ballistic missile fired by the Hezbollah militia group towards Tel Aviv. It’s the first such rocket attack on the Israeli city. Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, says it is resisting Israeli aggression and acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

Anna Foster presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Paul Adams in northern Israel, Orla Guerin in Tyre and Jeremy Bowen in Jerusalem.

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