The crossing into Syria was being used by thousands to flee, but the Israeli military says Hezbollah were transporting weapons along it.

Israel expanded its bombardment in Lebanon, hitting Beirut’s southern suburbs with 12 airstrikes and striking a Palestinian refugee camp deep in northern Lebanon for the first time.

An Israeli strike hit Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli for the first time early on Saturday, a Lebanese security source said, after more bombardment hit Beirut's suburbs and Israeli troops sought to make new ground incursions into southern Lebanon.