Israel’s intensifying strikes show how determined it is to stop Hezbollah’s cross-border attacks — and how far it is from achieving that goal.

Israel and Hezbollah threatened on Sunday to escalate their cross-border attacks despite a chorus of international calls for both sides to step back from the brink of all-out war.

Israel and Hezbollah threatened on Sunday to escalate their cross-border attacks despite a chorus of international calls for both sides to step back from the brink of all-out war. - 'On the brink' - Israel has signalled its intention to shift focus to Iran-backed Hezbollah after nearly a year of cross-border fire that began in October in what Hezbollah calls support for Hamas Palestinian militants fighting Israel.

Israel has inflicted a series of humiliating blows on the Hezbollah militia in neighbouring Lebanon.

The Israeli military expanded its Lebanon campaign with hundreds of airstrikes early on Monday, as the long-simmering border conflict with Hezbollah threatened to explode into a larger war. Dozens of Israeli warplanes struck more than 300 targets in southern Lebanon on Monday morning,