Israeli jets struck multiple buildings in Lebanon's southern coastal city of Tyre on Wednesday, sending up large clouds of black smoke, while Hezbollah confirmed that a top official widely expected to be the militant group's next leader had been killed in an Israeli strike.

Israel has carried out at least four air strikes on the historic Lebanese port city of Tyre, hours after expanding its evacuation orders to cover several central neighbourhoods, Lebanon’s state news agency says.

AFP correspondents reported several strikes on Lebanon's Tyre on Wednesday after the Israeli army warned residents to evacuate swathes of the coastal city which boasts a UNESCO world heritage site.Residents began to flee immediately after the Israeli army called on residents of large parts of Tyre to leave ahead of military operations targeting Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.