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Israel’s air force conducted strikes on southern Lebanon on Friday after Hezbollah dismissed a US-brokered truce, escalating tensions in the region.
The attacks followed warnings issued to several villages, including Sarafand along the coastal road between Tyre and Sidon, urging residents to evacuate immediately.
Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee posted on X: “For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move away from the villages and towns by at least 1,000 metres into open areas. Anyone who is near Hezbollah operatives, their facilities, or their weapons endangers their life!”
Lebanon entered the wider Middle East conflict after Hezbollah launched retaliatory attacks on Israel on March 2, following the February 28 killing of Iran’s supreme leader.
This week, Lebanese and Israeli envoys in Washington had agreed on a conditional truce, which Hezbollah rejected, calling instead for a comprehensive ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz affirmed that military operations would continue.
“At this stage, the army will continue its fire and ground operation, while dismantling terrorist infrastructure,” he said, adding that Israel reserves the right to strike Beirut if Hezbollah targets Israeli communities.
Overnight strikes killed seven people in Tyre, including four near Jabal Amel hospital, injuring seven others, while another strike in a residential area killed three and wounded five, including two children.
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem condemned the Washington truce, describing it as granting Israel “the freedom to kill” and calling on the Lebanese government to end what he called the “farce and humiliation” of direct talks.
Displaced residents of Tyre have sought shelter wherever possible, including in cars and tents, as evacuation orders have been extended across the city. The ongoing violence has left Israelis and Lebanese alike struggling with the human toll of the conflict.
Lebanon’s health ministry reports that at least 3,526 people have died in the conflict since March 2.
