The Israeli military targeted a top Hezbollah military commander in an airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs on Friday, two security sources in Lebanon said, sharply escalating the year-long conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed group.

Amid fears of an expanding war in the Middle East following mass detonations of bombs surreptitiously planted in Hezbollah communication devices, Israel continued its assault of the Iran-backed militia overnight.

Israel has carried out what its military called a “targeted strike” on Beirut. It offered no further immediate details.