An expanded extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly of the Druze Religious Council was held Thursday at the Druze Community Center in Beirut, at the invitation of Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Akl Sami Abi al-Muna, and in the presence of former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat, along with political, social, and religious figures.

A phone call took place Thursday between French President Emmanuel Macron and Speaker Nabih Berri, during which they discussed "the dire situation resulting from the Israeli aggression against Lebanon and the recent developments in Beirut's southern suburbs, including the displacement of its residents," Berri's office said.

Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich warned Thursday that a southern Beirut suburb, a stronghold of Hezbollah, will face devastation similar to Gaza after the Israeli military told residents to evacuate.

The Lebanese government said on Thursday it would ban any activity by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps -- a main backer of Hezbollah -- and seek to deport its members from Lebanon.

Information Minister Paul Morcos said the country's cabinet had decided to "prevent any activity" that members of the Iran Guards "may carry out from Lebanese territory... and to have them detained by the competent judiciary to deport them".

Engaged in a new war with Hezbollah, the Israeli army announced this week its intention to establish a buffer zone in southern Lebanon while its forces began advancing into border towns.

What is the purpose of creating this buffer zone and what risks does it pose?

Israel issued an unprecedented evacuation warning on Thursday for the entirety of Beirut's southern suburbs, a stronghold of Hezbollah, sending residents in the district of hundreds of thousands of people fleeing in a panic.

Hezbollah targeted Thursday Israeli bases in the Galilee Panhandle and in the Kfarshouba Heights, as Israel struck several villages in south Lebanon including Toul, Maarakeh, Touline, Zawtar, Kfar Remman, Habboush, Kfar Tebnit, Arnoun, al-Kfour, Harouf, Kounine and Loueizeh.

The Iran-backed group said it targeted military bases in the Galilee Panhandle with a salvo of rockets, and later claimed an attack on the Israeli Rweissat al-Alam base in the Kfarshouba Heights.

Israel carried out strikes on Dahieh and South and east Lebanon Thursday, while Lebanese state media reported an Israeli drone strike killed a Hamas official in Tripoli's Beddawi.

Two people were also killed in an Israeli strike on the Zahle highway Thursday.

Three people were killed in a pair of Israeli strikes on vehicles near Beirut, Lebanon's health ministry said late Wednesday, after a third day of Israeli bombardments in response to renewed Hezbollah attacks.

France's President Emmanuel Macron said he urged Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to "refrain from a ground offensive" in Lebanon in their first phone call since last summer.