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The Israeli military issued an evacuation warning Thursday for entire neighborhoods in Beirut’s southern suburbs, marking a significant expansion from previous warnings that were typically limited to specific buildings.
In a post on X, the IDF Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee urged residents of Burj al-Barajneh and Haret Hreik/Al-Hadath to evacuate immediately using two main highways.
The statement warned residents not to head south, saying movement in that direction could put lives at risk, and added that the military would later announce when it is safe for residents to return.
The areas are home to tens of thousands of people and are predominantly Shiite neighborhoods long regarded as Hezbollah strongholds.
The evacuation notice appeared to signal preparations for heavy bombardment of the area.
Since hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah resumed, Israel has carried out strikes on sites in Beirut’s southern suburbs and previously issued evacuation warnings for residents south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon.
However, it had not previously issued a blanket evacuation order for neighborhoods outside the Lebanese capital.
The latest escalation follows attacks by the U.S. and Israel on Iran that triggered a wider conflict in the Middle East.
Hezbollah launched missiles and drones into Israel on Monday for the first time in more than a year, prompting Israeli bombardment of southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs.
According to reports, 77 people have been killed and more than 83,000 displaced in Lebanon as a result of the renewed fighting.
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