The Israeli army renewed urgent warnings on Tuesday for residents in southern Lebanon to leave areas south of the Litani River.
Lebanese residents were called to move north “immediately” by Israel as the army prepares a series of air strikes, which it calls targeting Hezbollah locations in Tyre and Sidon.
“Urgent warning to residents of southern Lebanon located south of the Litani River (…) strikes are ongoing and we are operating with significant force in the area,” the army said in a statement on the US social media company X.
Buildings marked in red on official maps, along with nearby structures, were ordered cleared, with residents urged to move at least 300 meters away.
The warnings come as Israeli forces attempt to advance on the ground in southern Lebanon, facing resistance from entrenched Hezbollah.
Hezbollah reported early on Tuesday intense clashes near the southern outskirts of Khiam, claiming damage to two Merkava tanks, one seen burning in the confrontation.
Hezbollah added its members again targeted Israeli evacuation units with “appropriate weapons” as they attempted to retrieve crews of the damaged tanks.
Separately, Hezbollah said it fired rockets at Israeli forces attempting to infiltrate towards the border town of Houla, demonstrating continued frontline tension.
Evacuations
The Israeli army said over the past week it targeted 30 facilities linked to Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association, accusing the group of financing Hezbollah operations.
Monday’s air strikes struck “assets and cash storage facilities” used to purchase weapons and pay Hezbollah, according to military statements and local reports.
Israeli strikes follow a joint US-Israel attack on Iran on February 28, which killed more than 1,200 people and injured over 10,000.
The conflict quickly spilled over into Lebanon, where air strikes have killed nearly 500 civilians and displaced thousands since March 2, creating mounting humanitarian concerns.
The US Embassy in Beirut issued strict "shelter-in-place" instructions, urging citizens to secure themselves indoors with sufficient food, water, and medical supplies.
Department of State guidance maintains advisory level 4 due to armed conflict, terrorism, and civil unrest, warning against non-essential travel across the region.
Flights with Middle East Airlines (MEA) have become increasingly unpredictable amid potential airspace restrictions, prompting authorities to monitor maritime and land alternatives.
Maritime evacuation options include travel to island of Cyprus and other Mediterranean ports, while land crossings through neighbouring countries remain under close observation.
Dozens of US Embassy staff have already been evacuated as a precaution, reflecting the seriousness of the security escalation in southern Lebanon.
