BEIRUT: The Israeli military on Thursday ordered residents in over 20 villages and the city of Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon to evacuate as an Israeli air strike on a residential building killed at least 15 people in Lebanon amid an escalation in hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border.
Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X, “The IDF (Israeli army) does not intend to harm you, and for your own safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and head north of the Awali River.” The statement included the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh.
The Israeli air force confirmed it targeted a building in the Bint Jbeil municipality. In their announcement, the military claimed the strike killed at least 15 Hezbollah operatives.
Earlier this week Israel said its forces had started “ground raids” into parts of southern Lebanon, a stronghold of Hezbollah, following days of heavy air strikes on areas across the country as part of its strategy to secure the northern border.
On Thursday, Hezbollah reported that it had detonated explosives targeting advancing Israeli forces near the town of Maroun al-Ras. The Lebanese group claimed responsibility for repelling an attempted advance by Israeli troops at a border point known as Fatima’s Gate, asserting that its artillery fire effectively thwarted the incursion.
Hezbollah “repelled with artillery fire an attempt by enemy Israeli forces to advance at Fatima’s Gate”, it said.
On Wednesday, Israel reported the deaths of eight of its soldiers in confrontations with Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon.
These clashes coincided with Iran’s largest missile attack on Israel, further escalating tensions in the region. While Iran warned of stronger retaliation, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran was not seeking war.
US President Joe Biden stated that while Israel has the right to respond, any retaliation must be proportional, expressing concern over the broader consequences of targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Meanwhile, Israel continued bombing southern Beirut, causing widespread destruction and displacement. Hezbollah claimed to have forced Israeli soldiers to retreat, intensifying fears of an expanded conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which has already displaced hundreds of thousands of people in Lebanon.
