Israeli forces advanced into southern Lebanon on Tuesday, issuing evacuation orders for residents of over 80 villages and towns. The military urged people to avoid returning until further notice, citing the need to strengthen forward defenses and enhance security along the border.
Recent Escalation and Casualties
The incursion followed Hezbollah’s launch of rockets and drones toward northern Israel early Monday. Israel responded with airstrikes that killed 50 people across Lebanon, including seven children, a Palestinian militant, and a Hezbollah intelligence official in Beirut’s southern suburbs. The Lebanese Health Ministry revised the toll from an initial 52 to 40 before settling on 50, with 335 others wounded. Tens of thousands have been displaced, and the UN refugee agency reports 30,000 people in collective shelters, while many more sleep in cars or roadside areas.
Overnight strikes damaged a building housing Hezbollah’s television and radio stations. Additional unannounced attacks hit Beirut’s southern suburbs Tuesday afternoon, targeting Hezbollah officials.
Hezbollah’s Stance
A senior Hezbollah official declared the group’s patience exhausted after over a year of ceasefire violations by Israel. “The Zionist enemy wanted an open war, which it has not stopped since the ceasefire agreement,” Mohamoud Komati stated. “So let it be an open war.”
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun informed ambassadors from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United States, France, and Egypt that Hezbollah has fired rockets from north of the Litani River, beyond the border area under Lebanese army control.
Military Movements
Israel confirmed deploying additional troops to strategic points near the border. Lebanon’s National News Agency reported the Lebanese army repositioning and evacuating some border positions. A Lebanese military official, speaking anonymously, verified Israeli advances into several southern areas.
The UN peacekeeping force, UNIFIL, observed Israeli troops crossing the border before returning, though Israeli forces remain active inside Lebanon. The military’s Arabic spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, explained the operations aim to bolster defense layers.
Conflict Background
Hezbollah’s cross-border fire began a day after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel, sparking the Gaza war. Tensions boiled over into full-scale conflict in September 2024, prompting an Israeli ground invasion. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November 2024 led to withdrawal from most areas, but Israel holds five border points and conducts near-daily strikes to counter Hezbollah rebuilding efforts.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry reports 397 deaths from Israeli strikes in Lebanon since the ceasefire, prior to Hezbollah’s latest barrage.
