Israel strikes Beirut and orders south Lebanon evacuation as conflict mounts
Israel Targets Beirut Amid Evacuation Orders for Southern Lebanon
On Thursday, Israel escalated its military campaign in Lebanon by issuing a broad displacement directive for southern regions, directing residents within 25 miles of the border to move northward. Simultaneously, the country launched airstrikes on central Beirut, marking a significant intensification of hostilities with Hezbollah. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced the evacuation order before commencing a targeted bombing operation, claiming the attacks were aimed at Hezbollah infrastructure. This directive affects major cities such as Nabatieh and numerous villages across the southern Lebanon area.
Residents in central Beirut were also ordered to evacuate a specific neighborhood near a cluster of restaurants, following warnings that the IDF would strike a building in the area. The latest evacuation measures follow previous instructions targeting areas south of the Litani River and Beirut’s southern suburbs. Over the past 10 days, more than a million people have been displaced internally due to the ongoing conflict.
“Where can I go?” questioned Hamza Zbeeb, a 48-year-old official from Nimiriya, a village under the evacuation mandate. “Many people have fled to Beirut and returned because there’s no place to stay. I don’t want to be on the streets.”
Hours later, Israel bombed two structures in central Beirut, reducing them to rubble after urging residents to clear the area. One of the collapsed buildings was adjacent to a shelter for displaced families, creating chaos in the main square. The second target was located near the prime minister’s office, UN agencies, and foreign embassies. The attacks left families scrambling for safety amid the destruction.
Hezbollah’s recent operations, dubbed “Operation Chewed Wheat” — a reference to a Quranic verse symbolizing the reduction of enemies to a state of vulnerability — reflect a sharp increase in aggression. The group, thought to have suffered from nearly two years of relentless Israeli airstrikes, intensified its attacks on Wednesday night, launching over 200 rockets toward Israeli territory, including military bases in Haifa, Tel Aviv, and Beersheba. The offensive also involved coordinated drone swarms, with most projectiles intercepted or landing in open spaces.
In response, Israel quickly targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs and southern Lebanon, unleashing airstrikes that rattled the capital. The conflict reached its peak in this 10-day period, with Hezbollah and Iran conducting their first synchronized operation. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed in statements to Fars and Tasnim news agencies that the “joint and integrated operation” included a missile strike on Israel, executed alongside Hezbollah’s drone and rocket attacks.
Residents in border towns described the night as “very difficult.” Daniel Dorfman, a 43-year-old man in Metula — a town just a few hundred meters from Lebanon — recounted, “Last night was a bit crazy. I don’t get anxious usually, but all the walls were shaking. It’s a little frightening. Here we get zero warning of any attack. You hear the explosions of the interception before you hear the sirens.”
Meanwhile, in the early hours of Thursday, Israel struck Ramlet al-Baida, a Beirut neighborhood where displaced families had been sleeping on the corniche. Videos captured at least two men lying dead on the seaside walkway, while Lebanon’s health ministry reported 12 fatalities and 28 injuries from the attack. The devastation underscored the growing toll of the conflict.
“It was terrifying,” said Riyadh al-Lattah, a 57-year-old woodworker from Beirut’s southern suburbs. “I was camped out with my wife and five children, and the bombs kept falling all night.”