Israel orders evacuation of 25 more towns in southern Lebanon

By Wassim Seifeddine

BEIRUT (AA) – The Israeli army ordered residents of 25 more towns in southern Lebanon to evacuate their areas on Monday amid air and ground attacks on the country.

The new list of towns posted by Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee on his X account include Srebbine, Marwahin, Chihine, Oum Touteh, Bustan, Zalloutiyeh, Yarine, Ad-Dahreyah, Matmoura, Jebbayn, Tayr Harfa, and Abou Chach.

Also targeted are the towns of Aalma El Chaeb, Naqoura, Ain Shama, Ras al-Badah, Majdal Zoun, Mansouri, Mazraat Bayut al-Siyad, Sammaaiyeh, Rachidiyeh, Bazouriye, Ain Baal, and Hanniyeh.

Residents were ordered to evacuate immediately and head north of Awali River, effectively relocating southern Lebanon's population toward the northern areas.

The new orders take the number of areas ordered evacuated by Israel in southern Lebanon to over 100 in recent days.

Israel has been conducting relentless airstrikes since Sept. 23 on what it claims Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, killing more than 1,200 and injuring over 3,400 others.

The aerial campaign was an escalation in a yearlong conflict between Israel and Hezbollah since the start of Tel Aviv’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip that has killed nearly 42,000 victims, mostly women and children, since a Hamas attack in October of last year.

Due to Israeli attacks on Lebanon, at least 2,036 people have since been killed, over 9,500 injured, and 1.2 million others displaced, according to Lebanese authorities.

Despite international warnings that the Middle East region was on the brink of a regional war amid Israel’s relentless attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, Tel Aviv expanded the conflict by launching on Oct. 1 a ground invasion into southern Lebanon.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul