The Israeli army on Wednesday called for the evacuation of additional villages in southern Lebanon, a day after a similar evacuation call after the military announced the launch of ground operations.

"Evacuate your homes immediately. Be careful, you must not go south. Any southward movement may put you in danger," said Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee in a post on social media, calling on residents to evacuate over 20 new villages and towns in south Lebanon.

At least 17 Israeli strikes hit Beirut's southern suburbs early Wednesday, as the Israeli military said it was targeting alleged Hezbollah sites and issued several evacuation orders.

AFP correspondents heard multiple explosions and saw smoke rising in one area while a fire appeared to burn.

Egypt’s top diplomat on Tuesday deplored Israel’s “serious escalation” in southern Lebanon, after the Israeli military said it launched a “limited and focused” ground incursion.

Foreign Minister Badr Abdelaty warned that Israel’s escalation threatens to inflame the entire region “in a way that will lead to dire security and humanitarian consequences,” according to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

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 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.

The Israeli army mobilized four additional brigades to be deployed in missions along the northern border, the military said on Tuesday, after it claimed ground operations targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon overnight.

"This will enable the continuation of operational activity against the Hezbollah terrorist organization and the achievement of operational goals, including the safe return of the residents of northern Israel to their homes," the army said in a statement.

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.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Tuesday said that “through our unity, we can prevent internal strife, as the enemy is not only preparing to occupy our land, but also for internal strife.”

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.