Israel has dealt serious blows to Hezbollah this week by targeting its communications and decimating the leadership of its elite unit, but without crushing the Lebanese group's ability to fight, observers say.

Israel has launched air strikes in Lebanon and is restricting gatherings in the city of Haifa and other northern areas as it continues to attack targets linked to Hezbollah. Dozens of fighter jets started "extensively" striking southern Lebanon "following detection of Hezbollah preparing to fire toward Israeli territory",