Israel strikes Beirut and orders south Lebanon evacuation as conflict mounts
Israel strikes Beirut and orders south Lebanon evacuation as conflict mounts
As tensions between Israel and Hezbollah intensify, the Israeli military has issued a new directive displacing residents in southern Lebanon, requiring people within 25 miles of the border to move northward. This action followed a direct assault on Beirut’s core, marking a significant upsurge in hostilities. The order, announced by an Israeli military spokesperson, emphasized safety, urging civilians to relocate before targeted strikes began.
Among the affected areas were key Lebanese cities like Nabatieh and numerous villages. The IDF also ordered evacuations for a specific Beirut neighborhood near a cluster of eateries, citing plans to attack a structure there. This escalation comes days after prior evacuation commands for regions south of the Litani River and Beirut’s southern suburbs, which have already displaced nearly a million people in the ongoing 10-day conflict.
“Where can I go?” asked Hamza Zbeeb, a 48-year-old from Nimiriya, a village included in the latest orders. “Many have moved to Beirut and come back because there’s no place to stay. I don’t want to be on the streets.”
Hours after the warnings, Israel targeted two buildings in central Beirut, collapsing them amid the chaos. One of the structures was adjacent to a shelter housing displaced families, creating a dense crowd in the main square. The other hit location was near the prime minister’s office, UN facilities, and diplomatic embassies. The attacks left the city trembling, with the skies illuminated by explosions and windows rattling.
Hezbollah’s recent surge, dubbed “Operation Chewed Wheat,” references a Quranic passage and signals a major shift in the group’s strategy. The militant faction, believed to be weakened by nearly two years of Israeli airstrikes, launched over 200 rockets into Israeli territory, including military bases in Haifa, Tel Aviv, and Beersheba. These strikes were coordinated with Iran, which conducted a missile attack in conjunction with Hezbollah’s drone and rocket campaigns.
Residents in border towns described the night as “very difficult.” Daniel Dorfman, 43, from Metula, a town near Lebanon, recounted the chaos: “Last night was a bit crazy. I don’t usually get anxious, but all the walls were shaking. It’s frightening. Here we get zero warning of any attack. You hear the interception explosions before the sirens.”
In the aftermath, the bombardment of Beirut’s southern suburbs and Lebanon’s southern regions continued into Thursday afternoon. Ali Hariri, a lawyer and responder with the Beit al-Talaba group in Nabatieh, stood amidst the wreckage, stating, “It was a very difficult night; what can I say? Bombing all night.”
A separate strike in Ramlet al-Baida, central Beirut’s seaside promenade, targeted displaced families sleeping in the area. Videos captured at least two men killed on the coastal walkway. Lebanon’s health ministry reported 12 fatalities and 28 injuries from the attack. Riyadh al-Lattah, a 57-year-old woodworker from Beirut’s southern suburbs, described the scene: “It was terrifying.”