Lebanese journalist says Israel about to escalate, reassuring messages 'misleading'

Lebanese journalist Sami kleib warned Friday that Israel would escalate its targeted assassinations and its attacks in Lebanon in the coming days, but ruled out the possibility of a full-scale war.

Kleib said he has obtained information confirming that Israel will expand its attacks on Hezbollah and on regions that support the group and will intensify its targeting of military and political Hezbollah officials.

Israel has repeatedly bombed Lebanon despite a November ceasefire, which brought to an end more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah that culminated in two months of open war.

Kleib said the escalation he expects aims at preventing Hezbollah from rebuilding its capabilities. "Anyone who tries to reassure people that things will be okay is misleading them, intentionally or without knowing," he said.

As part of the ceasefire deal, Israeli forces were to withdraw from southern Lebanon and Hezbollah was to dismantle its forces in the region.

Under U.S. pressure and fearing an escalation of Israeli strikes, the Lebanese government has moved to begin disarming Hezbollah, a plan which the militant group and its allies oppose.