Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have discussed "threats to regional security, including Hezbollah’s destabilizing activities in southern Lebanon," the Pentagon said in a statement.

The two ministers also discussed, in a phone call Thursday, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, preparations for the stabilization phase that will follow, and other attacks by Iran-aligned groups against U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria and Houthi assaults against international commerce in the Red Sea.

Hezbollah fighters targeted Friday several Israeli posts along the border.

The group said it attacked the Hadb Yaroun post twice, al-Marj post, and a crane carrying surveillance equipment in the Dovev Farms, inflicting casualties.

A group calling itself Lobby 1701, comprised of Israelis evacuated from their settlements near Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, have told U.S. officials in a letter that American support in a move against Hezbollah is crucial for their safe return.

The organization, representing 60,000 residents of northern Israel who were evacuated from their homes, issued a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden and the head of the U.S. National Security Council, demanding that Israel be allowed to ensure the return of the displaced residents to their homes, either through diplomatic means or via a military operation.

The Israeli army intercepted Thursday a drone that crossed from Lebanon over the Kiryat area.

An uneasy calm had settled over the south in the morning before Israeli airstrikes targeted the al-Salhani area - between Ramia and Marwahin - and the outskirts of Aita al-Shaab in south Lebanon.

Israel’s foreign minister has said Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah could be Israel’s next target.

Eli Cohen spoke a day after a Hezbollah strike wounded 11 people in northern Israel. The Iranian-backed group has fired missiles and rockets into Israel throughout the two-and-a-half month war between Israel and Hamas. Israel has responded dozens of airstrikes and artillery barrages.

An uneasy calm settled over the south on Thursday morning after a day of heavy exchanges of fire.

At a funeral procession in Bint Jbeil on Wednesday, Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah told the ceremony that "no crime against civilians will pass without the enemy paying the price".

Hezbollah waged Wednesday a combined drone, rocket and artillery attack on Israeli forces and vehicles in the occupied Shebaa Farms, attacked an Israeli force in Dhaira and targeted the Hadb al-Bustan post and Kherbet Ma'ar with Burkan rockets.

The group also attacked a "new command center" near the Israeli naval base in Ras al-Naqoura as the Israeli army said it has intercepted eight out of 18 missiles launched from Lebanon towards the Western Galilee.

Hezbollah carried out Tuesday more than eight attacks on Israeli posts, including an attack with Burkan rockets on the Israeli Zebdine post in the occupied Shebaa farms.

Israel's army for its part shelled and fired heavy machinegun bursts towards the Zebdine Farm and its artillery shelled several border towns including Jabal Blat, Blida, Mhaibib, Mays al-Jabal, al-Khiam, Bestra, al-Naqoura, al-Khraybeh and al-Majidiyah.

Hezbollah has condemned an Israeli strike that left a senior general with Iran's Revolutionary Guards and three more fighters dead near the Syrian capital.

"We consider this assassination a blatant and shameless assault and a crossing of limits,” Hezbollah said in a statement.

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant has held a situation assessment in the Israeli army’s Northern Command, where he was briefed on operational activities conducted along the border with Lebanon.