Israel should extend its border with Lebanon up to the Litani River deep inside the country's south, Israel's finance minister said on Monday as Israeli troops bombed bridges and destroyed homes in the area in an escalating military assault.

More than 125,000 people have crossed from Lebanon into Syria this month, fleeing escalating violence and returning to a country that's still struggling to rebuild after more than a decade of civil war.

The military had initially blamed cross-border fire from Lebanon when it first reported the incident on Sunday.

The grim milestone, representing one fifth of the country’s population, was passed on the same day as the Israeli military launched a ground operation.

President Trump said there had been “very strong talks” with Iran to end the war, though Iranian officials did not confirm that. Israel continued its campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Mayors of several towns in southern Lebanon say the Israeli military has ordered them to force out the displaced who had escaped their Shia-majority towns, considered Hezbollah strongholds, during the group’s war with Israel.

Israel has launched a new wave of attacks against Tehran and a top American commander is telling Iranians to remain in shelters for the foreseeable future as the war in the Middle East showed no sign of abating in its fourth week.