Gallant says Israel 'destroying' Hezbollah in south Lebanon

Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Sunday that the military was stepping up its strikes targeting Hezbollah in southern Lebanon near the Israeli border.

"Not only are we defeating the enemy, but we are destroying them in all the villages along the border, in the places that Hezbollah planned to use as launchpads for attacks against Israel," Gallant told troops during a visit to the border.

The Israeli military presence in the border area was "overwhelming the terrorists," he said.

Gallant's comments came after Lebanese official media reported 14 Israeli strikes within minutes on the border village of Khiam, and as Israel kept hammering Hezbollah targets elsewhere in Lebanon.

The defense minister said the intense military action in Lebanon since late September could eventually allow Israelis displaced by the violence to return home.

"Our goal is to completely clean the area (of Hezbollah) so that Israel's northern communities may return to their homes and rebuild their lives," Gallant said.

He also said that Hezbollah prisoners captured by Israeli forces "have informed us of the great fear felt" among group members, adding that "Hezbollah is collapsing."