Israel carried out intense overnight airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut, warning residents to evacuate before the attacks. Explosions and flashes lit up the night sky as Israeli officials stated they had conducted 26 waves of strikes targeting Hezbollah command centers and weapons storage facilities. Earlier, the Israeli military had instructed residents in four districts of Beirut including areas adjacent to the airport to move eastward and northward for their safety.
Hezbollah Issues Evacuation Warning to Israelis
In response, Hezbollah published a message in Hebrew on its Telegram channel early Friday, urging Israelis within five kilometers of the Lebanese border to evacuate. The group accused Israel of attacking civilians, destroying infrastructure, and carrying out an expulsion campaign. “Your military’s aggression against Lebanese sovereignty and safe citizens will not go unchallenged,” the statement said.
Rising Casualties and Tensions
The Lebanese health ministry reported that 123 people had been killed and 683 wounded as a result of Israeli strikes this week, though it did not distinguish between civilians and combatants. There have been no reported fatalities in Israel from Hezbollah attacks so far. Lebanon was drawn into the widening Middle East conflict earlier this week when Hezbollah opened fire on Israel, prompting a new Israeli offensive focused on Beirut’s southern suburbs as well as southern and eastern Lebanon. Israel has also ordered civilians to evacuate large areas of southern and eastern Lebanon.
Strategic Implications and Regional Risk
The latest strikes mark a deliberate escalation, targeting Hezbollah’s urban power base in Beirut, where the group maintains both political and military infrastructure. Evacuation warnings on both sides of the border highlight the psychological and strategic pressures being applied, with Israel aiming to limit civilian casualties while disrupting Hezbollah operations in populated areas.
Hezbollah’s warning to Israeli border towns reflects its deterrence strategy, signaling potential escalation if the attacks continue. While the group was significantly weakened during the 2024 conflict with Israel, it remains a formidable actor with tens of thousands of fighters and a substantial rocket arsenal. The confrontation in Lebanon now threatens to open a second major front in the region, further complicating an already tense Middle East conflict involving Israel, Iran, and U.S. forces.
With information from Reuters.
