The Israeli military said on Thursday it has killed more than 40 members of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon in the last 24 hours.

Sources within Hezbollah also reported that dozens of fighters had been killed in close combat with Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon.

Lebanese security sources said the Israeli military was continuing to advance into southern Lebanon.

Kandice Ardiel, spokeswoman for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), said Israeli forces have advanced up to 12 kilometres into Lebanese territory in some areas.

The Israeli military said ground forces had destroyed dozens of targets belonging to the Shiite militia in the south of the country, including observation posts and rocket launchers. The Israeli Air Force also attacked Hezbollah positions including weapons depots in the neighbouring country, it added.

More homes destroyed in Lebanese border towns

Heavy Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire have destroyed homes in the border towns of Taybeh and Khiam, Lebanese security sources said, adding that entire residential neighbourhoods have already been destroyed in Khiam.

UNIFIL spokeswoman Ardiel said Israeli forces have also demolished a "significant number of buildings" in Naqoura, damaging the UNIFIL Naqoura headquarters in the process.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz recently announced that all homes in Lebanese villages near the border would be destroyed.

Many towns in southern Lebanon are considered Hezbollah strongholds. Israeli leaders accuse the group of repeatedly firing on civilian residential areas in northern Israel from those locations.

The Israeli military said Hezbollah had fired around 50 projectiles at Israel since Thursday morning.