Israeli army renews order for Lebanese to evacuate areas south of Zahrani River

ISTANBUL

The Israeli army on Thursday renewed its warning to residents in southern Lebanon to evacuate areas south of the Zahrani River, as Tel Aviv continued its offensive in the Arab country.

“Strikes are ongoing as the army operates with significant force in the area,” military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a statement on the US social media company X.

He called on residents to evacuate their homes “immediately” and move north of the Zahrani River “for their safety,” citing Hezbollah activities in the area.

The spokesperson warned that residents remaining south of the river -- or moving toward those areas -- could endanger their lives.

Israel has pounded Lebanon with airstrikes and launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack by the Hezbollah group on March 2.

Lebanese authorities say at least 1,094 people have been killed and 3,119 injured in Israeli attacks since then.

The current escalation came amid a joint US-Israeli offensive on Iran which has killed more than 1,340 people since Feb. 28. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, US bases and Gulf countries.