Israel warns residents of Beirut’s southern suburb to evacuate buildings ahead of airstrikes

By Said Amori

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli army ordered residents of three neighborhoods in southern Beirut to leave the areas Saturday ahead of airstrikes.

A statement ordered residents to stay 500 meters (1,640 feet) from several buildings in the neighborhoods of Hadath Beirut, Haret Hreik and Borj al-Barajneh.​​​​​​​

It attached a map of the targeted buildings, saying it would act against what it called Hezbollah assets and interests in the area.

It is the second time Saturday that the Israeli army has warned residents in the southern suburbs of Beirut to evacuate their homes in preparation for airstrikes, and the seventh time in less than 48 hours.

Israel launched an air campaign in Lebanon against what it claims are targets of the Hezbollah group in late September, in an escalation from a year of cross-border warfare.

More than 3,400 people have been killed, nearly 14,600 injured and more than 1 million displaced by Israeli attacks since last October, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Despite international warnings that the Middle East region was on the brink of a regional war, Tel Aviv expanded the conflict by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala