Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has told a White House event the US is striking Iranian drone and missile systems "every single hour".

By Laila Bassam, Maya Gebeily and Maayan Lubell BEIRUT, March 5 (Reuters) - Lebanese armed group Hezbollah spent months restocking its arsenal of rockets and drones, using support from Iran and its own weapons factories to prepare for a new war with Israel,

After meeting with the chief of staff of the French military in ⁠Beirut, Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun asked Macron to intervene to "prevent ⁠the targeting of the southern suburbs following threats by the Israeli army against its residents," the Lebanese presidency said in a separate statement.

The four US Army reserve soldiers were killed in a drone strike in Kuwait on Sunday, one day after the US and Israel began the operation.

Thousands fled the southern outskirts of the Lebanese capital before Israel unleashed heavy strikes on the militant group overnight. Many say they have nowhere to go.

Israel said it carried out airstrikes targeting Iran's security apparatus as both Israeli and U.S. officials hint at a regime change and popular uprising.

Israel is preparing for a limited reopening of Ben Gurion Airport to outbound flights for the first time on Sunday, according to the Israeli transportation ministry. Limited inbound flights for stranded Israelis abroad have been continuing since Thursday.

Israel launched huge attacks on Iran and Lebanon overnight; Iran’s deputy foreign minister warns that any country joining in US-Israel attacks will become ‘legitimate targets’