Israeli jets struck several towns in southern Lebanon on Thursday after urging residents to leave, marking an escalation in their near-daily strikes on the country. The airstrikes came hours after militant group Hezbollah urged the Lebanese government not to enter negotiations with Israel.

“We will not allow Hezbollah to rearm themselves, to recover, build back up its strength to threaten the state of Israel,” Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said at a briefing Thursday.

Israel has received a body said to be of another deceased hostage from Gaza as it gathers intelligence on the location of the longest-held remains, according to two Israeli sources. Hamas transferred what it said were the remains of a deceased hostage to Israel via the Red Cross on Wednesday night,

Hamas has handed over to the Red Cross in northern Gaza a coffin containing what the Palestinian group says is the body of a deceased hostage, according to the Israeli military.