Israel says that halting Hezbollah’s attacks in the country's north to allow residents to return homes is now an official war goal.

A top U.S. envoy warned Israel over escalating the fight with Hezbollah in Lebanon, while Israel’s defense minister said military action is becoming the only way to return Israelis evacuated from northern border areas back to their homes.

The country seeks to return residents of its northern regions — who fled as a result of cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah — back to their homes.

Israeli officials have repeatedly threatened to take heavier military action to halt the near-daily attacks, which began shortly after the outbreak of the nearly yearlong Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Israel has regularly launched airstrikes on Lebanon in response and has targeted and killed senior Hezbollah commanders.