Israel orders Dahieh evacuation, threatens attacks if Hezbollah doesn't stop firing

Israel said Monday it would once again target Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold mostly spared heavy attacks since April, as it stages its deepest incursion into Lebanon in two decades.

The Israeli military's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee, posting on X, urged Dahieh residents to evacuate "to preserve their safety."

"If the terrorist Hezbollah continues launching rockets toward Israeli cities and towns, the IDF (Israeli army) will respond by targeting objectives in the southern suburbs," Adraee added.

AFP journalists saw hundreds of families fleeing the southern suburbs, some on foot or on motorbikes, others in cars packed with belongings.

Hours later, a correspondent said shops were closed and the area's streets were largely deserted.

South Beirut resident Hadi, 24, said he had hoped for some stability during the truce.

"That feeling did not last long... Our fears intensified this morning after I received a series of messages about orders to bomb the southern suburbs, which caused widespread panic, and we immediately left the area," he told AFP by phone.

Beirut's southern suburbs and their surroundings have been struck twice since April 8, when huge Israeli attacks across Lebanon killed hundreds in minutes.

Israel's military on Monday also issued evacuation warnings for more than a dozen south Lebanon locations.

A day earlier, Israeli troops seized Beaufort castle, which commands sweeping views of south Lebanon, as the military expands its ground operations.

Lebanon says Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,412 people since March 2.

Israel says 25 soldiers and one civilian contractor have been killed over the same period.