Israel carries out large military exercise on Lebanon border

Israel is carrying out its largest military exercise since the beginning of its two-year war on Gaza, according to Israeli media reports.

The exercise on Sunday is being carried out by the army's Northern Command on the northern border with Lebanon.

Hebrew-language newspaper Maariv reported that the exercise is being carried out at a sensitive time on the northern border, where Hezbollah have been "deterred" but "still stands" as a threat.

In its latest war with the Lebanese group, Israel assassinated several of its senior leaders and commanders, including secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah. Following the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in November, Lebanon's government has pledged to disarm the group and bring all arms in the country under state control.

Despite this, Israel accuses Hezbollah of attempting to rebuild its military capabilities, and has continued strikes on Lebanon in violation of the ceasefire.

Israel has carried out a series of strikes on Lebanon in recent days, targeting areas of the Bekaa Valley and the south of the country. On Saturday evening, it assassinated a Hezbollah member at a site that was previously targeted during the war.

Israel has targeted bulldozers and other equipment related to the reconstruction of areas it had devastated during the war.

The Israeli military usually says it targeted Hezbollah operatives or infrastructure with its strikes, dozens of which have killed people travelling on Lebanese roads in cars and on motorbikes, or occasionally using excavators.

On Friday, the UN's special rapporteur on summary or arbitrary executions said Israel's actions in Lebanon likely amount to war crimes.

"Unless there is compelling evidence that those civilian objects have dual (military) objectives... the strikes are illegal," said Morris Tidball-Binz told AFP in a written statement.

"The killings resulting from the attacks violate the right to life and also the principles of precaution and proportionality and, in my opinion, also amount to war crimes," he told AFP in a written statement.