Israeli warplanes dropped leaflets over Beirut yesterday, warning residents of three districts in the south of the city to leave immediately for possible "strong" response to Hezbollah attacks.

"To the residents of Hay el-Sulloum, Bourj el-Barajneh and Chiah: For your own safety, you must evacuate those neighborhoods immediately, and evacuate every place where Hezbollah members or aides exist or carry out terrorist operations," the leaflet read. "The Israeli Defense Forces intend to expand their operations in Beirut," said the airborne flyer signed "The State of Israel".

Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli security cabinet gave green light to the Israeli army to widen the ground operations in south Lebanon.

The Israeli troops are to push to the Litani River, about 20 km from the Israel-Lebanon border, local media reported.

The Israel-Hezbollah violence erupted on July 12 when the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others.

Over 100 Israelis and about 1,000 Lebanese have been killed in the 30-day-old conflict.