The Israeli military said it launched a fresh strike on south Beirut on Tuesday.

"The IDF (Israeli military) conducted a precise strike in Beirut," the statement said, without offering details, while local media outlets reported simultaneous strikes on an apartment in a building in Jnah near al-Zahraa Hospital, and on another region in Beirut's southern suburbs.

"The United States has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel," a senior White House official told AFP on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"We are actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack," the official said in a statement, warning that such an action "will carry severe consequences for Iran."

The Israeli army has been carrying out secretive ground operations to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanese villages close to the border for the past year, military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Tuesday.

He said that the current ground maneuvers in Lebanon are an expansion of the previous year’s operations.

Israel said its ground troops crossed into Lebanon overnight, launching what the military described as "localized" raids to root out Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, said it saw no sign of Israeli forces and its troops were ready to confront them.

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has urged 1,000 Spanish civilians currently in Lebanon to leave the country and for Israel to stop its assault.

Albares said there are still commercial flights available to leave, but that he is in contact with Spain’s defense ministry to prepare a possible evacuation.

Hezbollah’s media office says an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburb destroyed the building housing the offices of a religious TV station.

The media office said that there were no weapons stored in the building where Al-Sirat TV, a Shiite Muslim religious TV station, had its offices.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant briefed U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on ground operations the army launched inside south Lebanon targeting Hezbollah positions, his office said on Tuesday.

"The minister discussed the localized and targeted raids that the IDF (Israeli army) launched overnight, against Hezbollah terror targets in the border area of southern Lebanon," said the statement from the defense ministry.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said Tuesday that “a de-escalation at regional level is urgent and necessary.”

“The protection of civilians remains the priority along with guaranteeing the security of the Italian military contingent of UNIFIL present in southern Lebanon," she said in a statement.

A British government-chartered flight is due to leave Beirut on Wednesday to bring United Kingdom nationals out of Lebanon.

The government says U.K. nationals, their spouse or partner, and children under the age of 18 are eligible, and priority will be given to the most vulnerable.

Turkey condemned the Israeli ground forces’ incursion into southern Lebanon on Tuesday, labeling it an “unlawful invasion attempt” and demanding an immediate cessation of the offensive and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry warned that the incursion jeopardizes the security and stability of countries in and out of the region, heightening the risk of a new wave of migration and the resurgence of extremist groups. The statement said countries that provide political support and arms to Israel would also be affected.