Israel is arming local militias in Gaza in an effort to counter Hamas in the besieged enclave, officials say, as opposition politicians warned that the move endangers national security.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has closed its aid distribution sites for the day, without giving a date on when they would open again.

The Israeli military carried out strikes on Hezbollah “drone factories” in southern Lebanon and suburbs of Beirut on Thursday, as large plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the Lebanese capital.

The Israel Defense Forces said it targeted drone production sites that the militant group had set up in Beirut’s Dahiyeh area and the southern village of Ain Qana, saying Hizbollah was “operating to increase production of UAV’s for the next war”.