Israel says it has conducted airstrikes on military targets of the Shia Muslim group Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon. This comes after a series of attacks between the two sides.

The Israeli air force said in a post on social media on Friday that it had carried out airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah also said it had launched drone and other attacks against Israel.

There is mounting international concern over the spread of conflict in the Middle East.

On Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held an emergency news conference and called on both sides to exercise restraint.

He said the risk that the conflict in the Middle East will widen is "real" and must be avoided. He added, "The people of the region and the people of the world cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza."

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on social media on Friday that his country "cannot allow the Hezbollah terror organization to continue attacking its territory and citizens." He added that Israel will soon make the necessary decisions.

Iran's Permanent Mission to the United Nations said in an online post, "Any imprudent decision by the occupying Israeli regime to save itself could plunge the region into a new war." It said any such war would have "one ultimate loser" which is Israel.