BAITULMAQDIS – Israel’s military on Wednesday warned people in two villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate immediately ahead of incoming strikes on what it said was Hezbollah military infrastructure.
In a series of messages on X, the military posted maps identifying buildings in Deir Kifa and Shahour and said remaining in the vicinity “puts you at risk”.
“The IDF (Israeli military) will soon strike military infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organisation across southern Lebanon, in response to Hezbollah’s prohibited attempts to rebuild its activities in the area,” its Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said.
“You are located near buildings used by Hezbollah. For your own safety, you must evacuate them immediately and move away from the area.”
Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli military said it had killed two Hezbollah members in strikes the previous day on southern Lebanon, where it has carried out repeated attacks despite the ceasefire with the Iran-backed group.
It said the Hezbollah member killed in Bint Jbeil was involved in rebuilding the group’s military capacities, severely weakened by the recent war with Israel, while the one killed in Blida had been gathering intelligence on the Israeli military.
The ceasefire, agreed to a year ago, was intended to halt more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which began after the start of the Gaza war in October 2023.
Israel has accused Hezbollah of breaking the ceasefire terms and says its frequent strikes aim to uphold it.
Lebanon has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire through its strikes and by maintaining forces inside its territory.
On Tuesday, Israel said it struck a Hamas training compound in the crowded Ain al-Hilweh camp for Palestinian refugees in southern Lebanon.
At least 13 people were killed, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
Hamas denied it had military installations in the Palestinian camps in Lebanon and called Israel’s claims “lies”. – AFP
