Israel Strikes South Lebanon After Evacuation Warning for Nabatieh Region

Beirut- Lebanon’s state media reported Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday shortly after the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings for around 20 locations, including areas near the city of Nabatieh, warning residents to leave ahead of anticipated raids.

The National News Agency (NNA) said strikes hit multiple areas covered by the warning, including the villages of Rihan and Sujud, which lie near Nabatieh in southern Lebanon.

Earlier, the Israeli military ordered residents to evacuate their homes immediately and move north of the Zahrani River for their safety, citing the presence of Hezbollah-linked infrastructure in the area.

“Anyone who is in the vicinity of Hezbollah installations or means of warfare is endangering their lives,” Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a post on social media platform X.

The evacuation order covered 20 locations across southern Lebanon and came amid ongoing Israeli military operations in the region, which Israel has described as targeting Hezbollah positions.

Lebanese authorities have repeatedly warned that expanded evacuation zones and strikes are worsening humanitarian conditions in the south, where thousands have been displaced in recent months.

The latest strikes follow a pattern of near-daily exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah-linked forces, despite international calls for de-escalation and efforts to restore a ceasefire framework.

There were no immediate reports of casualties from Saturday’s strikes, and the situation in the affected areas remained fluid, according to Lebanese state media.