TEL AVIV: Israel’s military on Wednesday warned people in two villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate immediately ahead of incoming strikes as Israel intensified strikes on Lebanon despite the ceasefire.
In a series of messages on X, the Israeli military posted maps identifying buildings in Deir Kifa and Shahour and said remaining in the vicinity “puts you at risk”.
“The IDF (Israeli military) will soon strike military infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah across southern Lebanon,” its Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli military said it had killed two people in strikes the previous day on southern Lebanon, where it has carried out repeated attacks despite the ceasefire with Hezbollah.
The ceasefire, agreed to a year ago, was intended to halt more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which began after the start of the Israeli bombardment campaign in Gaza in October 2023.
Lebanon has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire through its strikes and by maintaining forces inside its territory.
On Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes on the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon killed at least 13 people, Lebanese authorities said.
Witnesses reported that residential buildings, a mosque, and a public sports facility were struck, causing widespread panic and destruction in one of Lebanon’s most densely populated refugee settlements, AP News reported Tuesday.
The Palestinian community in Ain al-Hilweh condemned the attacks, highlighting that most victims were civilians, including women and children.
“This was not a military strike; this was a strike against us,” said a local community leader, emphasising the vulnerability of refugee populations caught in the crossfire, according to moneycontrol.com.
The Israeli military claimed the operation targeted Hamas training facilities, but residents and humanitarian groups insist the site hit was a public area and community hub, underscoring the civilian toll.
Drone strikes later in southern Lebanon reportedly wounded at least 11 more people, including schoolchildren, reinforcing fears that civilian areas are increasingly at risk, according to the Anadolu news agency.
The attacks mark the deadliest Israeli strike in Lebanon since the 2024 ceasefire with Hezbollah, signalling a potential renewed cycle of violence.
Aid organisations have expressed alarm over the humanitarian situation, calling for immediate access to affected areas to provide medical care, food, and shelter to displaced families.
Local leaders highlighted that Ain al-Hilweh, home to tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees, is already struggling with overcrowding, lack of infrastructure, and limited humanitarian resources.
