Israeli forces have traded near-daily fire with the Hezbollah resistance movement since Israel's brutal war on Gaza erupted on October 7.

Major General Ori Gordin, Israel's commanding officer in the north, told troops that they had killed more than 500 resistance fighters in Lebanon "the great majority of them from Hezbollah", an army statement said.

According to an AFP tally, more than nine months of violence have killed at least 523 people in Lebanon.

Most of them, 342 people, have been confirmed to be Hezbollah fighters but the tally also includes 104 civilians. Gordin did not mention civilian casualties.

In northern Israel, at least 18 Israeli soldiers and 13 civilians have been killed, according to the military.

The exchanges of fire have been largely restricted to the border areas and displaced tens of thousands of Lebanese as well as Israeli residents.

The Israeli military has "destroyed thousands" of targets across the border, Gordin said.

The statement said troops were now preparing "for the transition to offence".

"When the moment comes and we go on the offensive, it will be a decisive offensive," Gordin added.

Hezbollah says it will continue fighting to support Palestinians in Gaza until the Israeli assault on Gaza stops.

In response, Israeli leaders have vowed to expel Hezbollah from southern Lebanon, even if it requires military force.

The escalating violence and unsuccessful mediation efforts have raised fears of all-out conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which last went to war in 2006.

Israel has demanded that parts of southern Lebanon be cleared of Hezbollah fighters in line with a UN Security Council resolution that ended the 2006 war.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online