For the first time, Israel calls for the evacuation of more than 80 towns in southern Lebanon and orders residents not to return
Israel has called on the residents of more than 80 towns in southern Lebanon to evacuate immediately and not to return.
For the first time since the escalation in the region began in October 2023, the Israeli army has ordered the evacuation of approximately 83 villages in southern Lebanon.
It also instructed residents not to return to those villages and to remain at least one kilometer away from them.
The evacuation order coincided with the launch of a new ground incursion by the Israeli army into the area.
In the evacuation notices addressed to residents of dozens of towns, the Israeli army did not specify a time frame for the end of the evacuation period.
The warnings have led to large-scale displacement from towns and villages in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli army’s announcement of a ground incursion into southern Lebanon did not come as a surprise, as several Israeli officials had previously spoken over recent months about the existence of such a plan.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that the army intends to continue evacuating the first and second lines of villages in southern Lebanon, as fighting is expected there. The Israeli military spokesperson had already called on residents of several communities in southern Lebanon to evacuate northward the previous day.
Meanwhile, the Israeli newspaper Maariv reported that the Israeli army announced Tuesday morning the limited entry of ground forces into southern Lebanon.
Quoting an Israeli military source, the paper stated: “We have entered the campaign against Hezbollah. We are operating mainly against weapons depots, especially inside homes. However, the most important step is the evacuation of villages in southern Lebanon. The third step is an attack on Hezbollah’s financial system. We have targeted the organization’s bank branches in Beirut and across Lebanon. Hezbollah is facing a cash flow problem.”
The source added: “We are positioned at advanced defensive sites. Our focus today is to operate with fire north of the Litani River and to carry out intensive attacks on Beirut and major cities in Lebanon, as well as to target villages along the first and second lines.”
He continued: “Hezbollah has made a strategic mistake, fallen into the trap of the campaign, and suffered damage.”
For its part, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation stated that Israeli ground forces were advancing into southern Lebanon.
It added that the 91st Division’s forces were operating in southern Lebanon and controlling a number of points in the area.
Israeli Channel 12, which referred to a limited ground operation in southern Lebanon, stated that the objective was to establish a forward defensive line separating Israeli communities in case Hezbollah attempts raids into Israeli territory.
It further noted that the purpose of the operation is to inflict significant economic and military damage on Hezbollah, suggesting that this step, alongside the attack on Iran, could lead to the dismantling of the organization.
Over the past two years, voices in Israel have called for occupying the area south of the Litani River up to the Israeli border.
