Israel launched dozens of airstrikes in south Lebanon yesterday, in one of its heaviest bombardments of the region since a ceasefire ended last year's war with the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The Israeli military said it had hit a Hezbollah infrastructure site in the south. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah, which has previously said that it withdrew all its forces from the south in line with the US-brokered truce.

Lebanon's Health Ministry said at least one person was killed and another eight wounded in the strikes. Thick columns of smoke rose from the hilltops hit in the attacks in the Nabatieh region, some 12 km from the border.

Israel has been carrying out airstrikes in south Lebanon on a regular basis since the ceasefire.