The UNIFIL peacekeeping mission has said the latest wave of Israeli strikes on south Lebanon "undermines the progress being made toward a political and diplomatic solution".

Israeli jets had struck several towns in southern Lebanon on Thursday after urging residents to leave, marking an escalation in their near-daily strikes on the country.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Friday that only the state has the war and peace decision, a day after Hezbollah said it has the right to defend itself against Israel.

Salam said the government is working on monopolizing weapons and ending Israeli attacks and occupation. "There are no more empty promises, but rather practical steps," he vowed.

A senior Israeli military official has warned that Israel would attack targets in Beirut if the Lebanese army fails to disarm Hezbollah.

"If the Lebanese army does not disarm Hezbollah and fails to meet the demands of the ceasefire, Israel, with U.S. backing, will attack Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, including in Beirut," the official told Israeli Channel 12, hours after Israel struck a series of targets in southern Lebanon.

Cabinet met Thursday in Beirut to follow up on a plan to disarm Hezbollah and other non-state armed groups in the country drafted by the Lebanese military.

Army chief Gen. Rudolph Haikal briefed the government for the second time on its plan to disarm Hezbollah, while Israel carried out airstrikes in south Lebanon.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will visit Lebanon next week to discuss the latest developments with President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper said.

The daily claimed that the visit comes amid Israeli pressure on the U.S. to stop supporting the Lebanese government that, according to Israel, is not serious in implementing Hezbollah's disarmament plan.

Israel does not want escalation in Lebanon and there are no new instructions for the residents of northern Israel, an Israeli security official told the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation on Thursday, after Israel issued evacuation orders for four buildings in four southern Lebanese towns prior to airstrikes.

“We’re continuing our firm and strict approach in Lebanon and there is no change in the adopted policy in Lebanon,” Israeli army officers told Israel’s Channel 7.

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari met Thursday with Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal and discussed with him the army's deployment in south Lebanon following a decision by the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah, starting in south Lebanon.

The meeting comes ahead of a visit by Saudi envoy Prince Yazid Bin Farhan with a Saudi delegation. Al-Jadeed said Bin Farhan will arrive next week in Beirut with a high-level official, while LBCI reported that the visit would start on Monday.

The Israeli military said it had launched a series of strikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon on Thursday, shortly after issuing evacuation warnings to residents in parts of the area.

"The IDF (Israeli army) has begun a series of strikes on Hezbollah military targets in southern Lebanon," the military said.

Israeli warplanes on Thursday bombed an open area between the Tyre district towns of Toura and al-Abbasiyeh, killing one person and wounding three others, the National News Agency said.

The strike also sparked panic among students in the schools of Maarakeh, al-Abbasiyeh, Toura and Tyre, prompting several schools to suspend classes and creating major traffic congestion on Tyre’s entrances.

The Israeli army is preparing for a military move with the aim of weakening Hezbollah and bringing it and the Lebanese government to sign a “stable agreement” with Israel, Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Thursday.

The Israeli army is preparing for “the possibility that they will be required to enter combat in the near future,” the channel added, quoting senior Israeli officials as saying that "there are already existing plans."