Israel has cleared landmines and established barriers, signaling an intensification in the war against Hezbollah. The move suggests Israel may seek to strike Hezbollah for the first time from further east along Lebanon's border, at the same time creating a secure area from which it can freely reconnoiter the armed group and prevent infiltration, the sources said. By extending its front in the east, Israel could tighten its squeeze on Hezbollah's arms supply routes, some of which cut across Syria, Lebanon's eastern neighbor and an ally of Iran.