Tel Aviv, Israel – The Israeli military issued urgent warnings today to residents of 12 villages in southern Lebanon, ordering them to evacuate their homes immediately and move at least one kilometer away. This comes in preparation for intensive airstrikes targeting what it described as Hezbollah positions.
Evacuation warnings north of the Litani River
Field reports indicate that most of the villages included in the evacuation orders are located in areas north of the Litani River. This suggests an expansion of the scope of Israeli military operations.
Colonel Avichai Adraee, the Israeli army spokesperson for Arabic media, addressed the residents via social media platforms. He justified the measure by citing “violations of the ceasefire agreement by Hezbollah.”
Adraee claimed that the Israeli army “does not intend to harm civilians,” and that the purpose of the warning was to ensure their safety before the imminent attacks.
Airstrikes and casualties among aid workers
On the ground, the escalation continued, with the official Lebanese news agency reporting Israeli airstrikes targeting the areas of Rashkanani and Safad al-Batikh in southern Lebanon.
While there were no immediate reports of casualties from these strikes, the humanitarian situation deteriorated in other areas.
In a related development, the Lebanese National News Agency confirmed that an Israeli drone carried out a precision strike in the Deir Kifa area, injuring three aid workers from the Health Authority (a medical organization affiliated with Hezbollah).
These developments come amid international concern over the fragile ceasefire between the two sides, as Israel and Hezbollah continue to accuse each other of violating the agreed-upon understandings.
Observers believe the new evacuation orders reflect Israel’s determination to change the rules of engagement on the ground. This comes amid fears of new waves of civilian displacement from villages previously considered relatively safe. Therefore, this poses a real test for international efforts to prevent the region from sliding into a full-blown confrontation.
