News24 | Israel hits Tyre amid vow to intensify Lebanon ground operations against Hezbollah
Movement of Israeli military vehicles and tanks is observed around the village of al-Aadaissah near the Lebanon-Israel border.
Tsafrir Abayov/Anadolu via Getty Images
Israel’s military attacked Tyre in Lebanon after issuing an evacuation warning to residents.Israel declared all areas south of Lebanon’s Zahrani River as “combat zones”.Israel this week vowed to intensify operations in Lebanon.Israel’s military said on Thursday it had begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure around Tyre after issuing an evacuation warning for residents of the southern Lebanese city.“The IDF is compelled to take forceful action against it,” the Israeli military’s order said, in reference to the Iran-backed group.It added that residents of the zone around certain buildings should leave and travel north of the Zahrani River, and that remaining in the area “places you at risk”.“The IDF has begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure in the area of Tyre,” the military posted in a later statement on Telegram.Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported two sets of Israeli strikes had taken place on the city and an area to its east on Thursday morning, hitting a building and sparking a fire in Tyre.READ | Israel Defence Minister Katz celebrates killing new Hamas armed wing commanderOn Wednesday, Israel declared all areas south of Lebanon’s Zahrani River, which runs roughly 40km from the border, “combat zones” and urged residents to evacuate ahead of strikes against Hezbollah.The first such sweeping warning since a 17 April ceasefire came as Israel’s military launched broad raids on the country’s south and east, and as Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with Israeli forces beyond an Israeli-declared “yellow line” in the south.It also came as many Lebanese tried to celebrate the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.“We advise the residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate to the north of the Zahrani River, as all areas south of the river are considered combat zones,” the Israeli military said on social media, warning it would act “with great force” against Hezbollah.Israel this week vowed to intensify operations in Lebanon and said it was expanding ground operations there.Talks are expected on Friday between Lebanese and Israeli military delegations at the Pentagon, as is a new round of direct negotiations next week aimed at ending the hostilities.The Israeli military had earlier issued evacuation warnings for the southern city of Nabatieh, and swathes of the coastal city of Tyre and surrounding areas.An AFP correspondent said residents from threatened Tyre areas had converged on parts of the city not covered by the warning. Authorities, however, warned that shelters were full and urged people to head to Beirut instead.The state-run National News Agency (NNA) later reported strikes on Tyre and its surroundings, as Israel’s army said it was attacking “Hezbollah command centres”.NNA also reported a series of strikes on Nabatieh city, resulting in “huge destruction” in residential areas.Lebanon’s army also said on Wednesday that one of its soldiers was killed in an Israeli strike in south Lebanon.Israel’s army chief Lieutenant Colonel Eyal Zamir said on Wednesday that: “We are intensifying our operations in order to strike ever more severe blows to the Hezbollah organisation.”After Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war with rocket fire at Israel in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Israel has repeatedly struck Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa valley and warned residents to evacuate.
