TEL AVIV: Israel’s military has ordered residents to evacuate large areas of southern Lebanon, declaring them “combat zones” ahead of renewed strikes against Hezbollah.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) instructed civilians to move north of the Zahrani River, around 40km (25 miles) from the border, warning it would act “with extreme force” and accusing Hezbollah of repeated violations of a ceasefire.
The evacuation order is the largest since the ceasefire began on 17 April, covering roughly 14% of Lebanese territory, BBC reported.
Earlier on Wednesday, Israeli strikes hit the southern city of Tyre. Hezbollah, which accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire, said its fighters had engaged Israeli troops on the ground.
The strikes followed an announcement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expanding ground operations after Hezbollah drone attacks targeting Israeli troops in southern Lebanon and civilians in northern Israel.
The IDF has issued nine evacuation warnings in the past 24 hours, raising concerns of a wider escalation along the border and renewed mass displacement.
The order for Tyre was quickly followed by air strikes, with residents filming explosions from balconies as the city came under fire. One resident said panic was spreading as people began gathering belongings and preparing to leave.
The later evacuation directive for areas south of the Zahrani River covers around 300 towns and villages. Many residents, including those already displaced, reportedly have nowhere to go.
Humanitarian officials warned that the coastal city of Sidon is struggling to absorb new arrivals and urged displaced families to move further east to the Beqaa Valley and Mount Lebanon.
Lebanese media also reported multiple Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley, killing at least four people in Choukine and Nabatieh.
The latest attacks came after a heavy 24-hour period in which more than 150 Israeli air strikes hit around 50 towns and villages across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.
Lebanon’s health ministry said at least 31 people were killed on Tuesday, including 15 in Burj al-Shamali, east of Tyre.
(Inputs from BBC)
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