Israel's ongoing military strikes in Lebanon send a "clear message" to Hezbollah, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday, accusing the Iran-backed Islamist group of seeking to rebuild its forces in violation of a ceasefire agreement.

Israeli strikes on Lebanon's Bekaa region on Tuesday killed 12 people, the region's governor Bachir Khodr told Reuters, in the deadliest airstrikes since last year's truce ended months of fighting between Israel and the armed group Hezbollah.

Israeli airstrikes in eastern Lebanon killed 12 people, including five Hezbollah fighters, as a warning against the Iran-backed group's attempts to re-establish itself. The attack targeted Hezbollah training camps and weapon storage facilities,