Israeli strikes hit Lebanese towns after warnings

Israeli airstrikes struck the southern Lebanese village of Tayr Debba and other towns after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for three locations it said were being used by Hezbollah to rebuild military capabilities. The strikes, which followed warnings directing residents to move at least 500 meters from targeted buildings in Aita al‑Jabal, Al‑Tayyiba and Tayr Debba, sent thick plumes of smoke into the sky and prompted Lebanese civil defence teams to help evacuate civilians. Lebanon’s health ministry had not provided an immediate toll for the afternoon raids; earlier strikes that day had been reported to have killed one person.

Israel says the operations targeted Hezbollah military infrastructure and personnel as part of ongoing efforts to prevent the Iran‑backed group from reconstituting capabilities nearly a year after a U.S.‑brokered ceasefire halted the last major round of fighting. The evacuation notices — posted publicly by an Israeli military spokesperson with maps identifying the buildings — are notable because recent strikes in southern Lebanon have rarely been preceded by such explicit civilian warnings.

Hezbollah reiterated its commitment to the ceasefire while insisting it retains a “legitimate right” to resist Israel, and has not launched attacks across the border since the truce took effect. Nonetheless, both sides accuse the other of violating the agreement: Israel reports that Hezbollah continues clandestine rearmament in the south, while Lebanese officials and critics say Israel’s near‑daily strikes frequently hit civilians and infrastructure not linked to the group.

The raids coincided with a Lebanese cabinet meeting at which army commander Rodolphe Haykal briefed ministers on progress in confiscating Hezbollah arms depots in the south. The Lebanese Armed Forces also inspected recent strike sites in the Tyre district for structural damage, unexploded ordnance and civilian harm, though official casualty figures remain limited. Lebanese President Michel Aoun has criticized Israeli strikes and the presence of Israeli forces on hilltop positions in Lebanese territory, while saying he remains open to negotiations to reduce tensions.

The exchange of strikes and evacuations has heightened international concern as cross‑border incidents continue despite the ceasefire that nominally ended the large‑scale Israel‑Hezbollah war last year. Observers warn that persistent strikes, evacuations and accusations of ceasefire breaches risk further escalation in a region already strained by the wider Israel‑Gaza war and could undermine efforts to stabilize southern Lebanon and protect civilians.