JERUSALEM

The Israeli army warned residents of six villages in southern Lebanon on Wednesday to immediately evacuate their homes ahead of planned strikes.

On US social media company X, Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said that residents in the villages of Matariyet al-Shoumar, Al-Kharaib, Arzi (Sidon), Zrariyeh, Mazraat al-Wasta and Mazraat Jamjam must leave their homes.

“You must evacuate your homes immediately and move at least 1,000 meters away from the villages,” Adraee wrote.

He warned that “anyone located near Hezbollah elements, facilities or combat equipment is putting their life at risk.”

The warning marks the third evacuation order issued by the army since Wednesday morning.

The Israeli army warned residents early Wednesday to evacuate the neighborhoods of Haret Hreik and Burj al-Barajneh of Beirut’s southern suburbs ahead of airstrikes.

“You must leave immediately and move east toward the Damascus highway,” he added.

Adraee attached a map indicating the targeted areas, saying the Israeli army “will operate in the coming hours in the areas of Haret Hreik and Burj al-Barajneh and within the complex located south of the Damascus highway as marked on the map.”

Since Israel and the US launched joint attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, so far killing more than 1,200 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, hostilities have escalated. The conflict spilled over to Lebanon, where nearly 600 people have been killed and around 1,500 injured in Israeli airstrikes since March 2, amid cross-border attacks with Hezbollah

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets.

*Writing by Rania Abushamala and Lina Altawell in Istanbul.