Israel launched strikes on southern Lebanon on Wednesday shortly after warning residents to evacuate parts of the region ahead of an operation targeting Hezbollah positions.
The Israeli military earlier issued an “urgent” evacuation alert for residents of Deir Kifa and Shihur, marking two buildings on maps and instructing civilians to leave immediately.
“For your safety and the safety of your families, you must evacuate the designated buildings and move away from the marked area,” Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said, warning of imminent strikes on Hezbollah military sites.
Roughly 30 minutes after the announcement, the Israel Defense Forces said it had begun striking “several Hezbollah infrastructure targets” in the area.
Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in near-daily cross-border fire since October 2023, with the confrontation escalating into a broader war in September 2024 that killed more than 4,000 people and wounded around 17,000.
Despite a ceasefire agreed in November 2024, Israel has been accused of more than 4,500 violations, resulting in hundreds of civilian casualties. Israel also continues to hold several strategic hilltops and maintains long-standing positions inside Lebanese territory.
