Naim Qassem said any Israeli military presence on Lebanese soil after February 18 would be considered an occupying force.

Hezbollah's chief said Sunday it was the government's responsibility to ensure the Israeli army withdraws from Lebanon by a looming ceasefire deadline, as Israel carried out air strikes in the country.

Under a truce arranged by Washington in November, Israeli forces were given 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon, where they had been fighting Iranian-backed Hezbollah rebels since early October.

Lebanese media on Sunday reported that Israeli gunfire killed a woman as Washington pressed Beirut to disarm Hezbollah, two days before a deadline in the ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed group.

U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus said she was "not afraid" of Iran-backed Hezbollah because it was defeated by Israel, stressing the group should not be part of the new Lebanese government.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said on Sunday that it was the recently-formed Lebanese government's responsibility to ensure that the Israeli army withdraws from the country by February 18 – the ceasefire deadline – as Israel carried out air strikes and fired at residents returning to the south.

After Israel missed a previous deadline at the end of January, this Tuesday is the new deadline for Israeli troops to withdraw from southern Lebanon. Israel has indicated that its troops will remain in some strategic areas along the border,

An armored vehicle of the Lebanese Army and the UNIFIL Blue Helmets mark the last line before reaching the positions where the Israeli forces are sheltering in the areas still occupied on the outskirts of the Lebanese municipality of Aitaroun,