Israel Issues Extensive Evacuation Orders for South Lebanon, Threatens Military Escalation

In a dangerous development that threatens to blow up the situation on the Lebanese-Israeli border, the Israeli army issued comprehensive evacuation orders affecting large areas in southern Lebanon, considering them "combat zones" in preparation for launching extensive military operations against Hezbollah. The new evacuation orders included all areas south of the Zahrani River, which is about 40 kilometers from the border, which means the evacuation of about 300 towns and villages representing 14% of the total Lebanese territory. This measure is the largest of its kind since the ceasefire agreement entered into force on April 17. These orders coincided with intensive Israeli shelling targeting the city of Tyre and dozens of towns in the south and the Bekaa Valley, where the Lebanese Ministry of Health recorded the killing of 31 people on Tuesday alone, including 15 in the town of Burj al-Shamali. On Wednesday, more than 150 Israeli airstrikes hit about 50 sites. For his part, the Prime Minister announced Israeli Benjamin Netanyahu expanded ground operations beyond the 10-kilometer border strip currently controlled by Israeli forces, citing the need to "strengthen the security zone to protect communities in northern Israel." On the other hand, Hezbollah confirmed that its fighters clashed with Israeli forces "at a very close distance" in the eastern town of Zawtar, north of the Litani River, located outside "the area The Israeli-declared “buffer zone”. Both sides accuse each other of violating the ceasefire agreement, while cities such as Saida face difficulties in absorbing the influx of new IDPs. This escalation comes at a sensitive time that threatens to thwart the ongoing talks between the United States, Israel and Iran to end the war, as Tehran stipulates that Lebanon be included in any agreement, while Israel maintains its right to continue fighting against what it describes as the "Hezbollah threat."