The Israeli military has launched the second phase of its ground operations in southern Lebanon, Maariv newspaper revealed on Tuesday. 

Previously, Israel's Channel 14 also reported that the army has expanded its ground operations in southern Lebanon to areas not previously reached since the onset of its campaign.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, in his first meeting with the General Staff, suggested that a ceasefire in Lebanon is unlikely unless any agreement includes Israel's right to take direct action to prevent future attacks. 

In a parallel announcement, the Israeli army confirmed it had struck several Hezbollah targets deep within Lebanon. Among the targets hit on Monday were around 100 sites, including a facility in the Bekaa region that reportedly housed underground infrastructure for launching rockets into Israel.