Syrian refugees who escaped civil war into Lebanon have fled back to their home country, only to be met by Israeli air strikes.

Israel’s intensifying air and ground campaign to stop barrages of Hezbollah rockets from Lebanon has resulted in more than 400,000 people fleeing into Syria, three quarters of them Syrian refugees returning home.

But the exodus has come as Israel has also continued to strike targets inside Syria in its wider campaign against Iranian-backed militia groups.

An Israeli strike hit a road linking Syria and Lebanon on Thursday as Israel tried to cut off Hezbollah supply routes.