The Israeli military said Tuesday it had deployed additional troops deeper into southern Lebanon, beyond the five positions currently held by Israel, describing the move as part of an “enhanced forward defense posture” along the border.

In a statement, the Israeli army said soldiers from the 91st “Galilee” Regional Division were “positioned at several points near the border area as part of an enhanced forward defense posture.” The troops are operating in areas south of the Litani River, the military said, under a strategy aimed at deepening forward defense and creating “an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel.”

“Hezbollah chose to enter the campaign on behalf of Iran and will bear the consequences of its actions. The Israeli army will not allow harm to the civilians of the State of Israel and will continue to act in every way to protect them,” the military said.

The announcement came after Hezbollah launched rockets and drones at northern Israel early Monday in response to Israel’s killing of Iran’s supreme leader. The group carried out additional rocket and drone attacks overnight and again Tuesday morning.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the decision to push troops forward in southern Lebanon was intended to prevent “direct fire” on Israeli communities near the border.

“To prevent the possibility of direct fire at Israeli communities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorized the army to advance and hold additional dominant terrain in Lebanon and defend the border communities from there,” Katz said in a statement.

“The Israeli army continues to operate forcefully against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The terrorist organization is paying and will pay a heavy price for the fire toward Israel,” he added.

Speaking to reporters, Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said troops had been deployed to several locations along the frontier in what he described as a defensive move.

“We have positioned soldiers on the border area in additional points to defend our civilians, to prevent Hezbollah from attacking them,” Shoshani said. He emphasized that the step did not constitute a ground operation.

“This is not a ground operation. This is a tactical measure… to ensure the safety of our people,” he said during an online briefing. “We’re only at the borderline area in a defensive manner to prevent attacks against civilians and very strategically important points.”