Israel orders immediate evacuations in southern Lebanon as Beirut strikes intensify - AP Explains

Описание: (4 Mar 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Beirut - 4 March 2026
1. SOUNDBITE (English) Malak Harb, The Associated Press: ++PARTIALLY OVERLAID BY SHOTS 2 TO 6++
"The Israeli military has ordered the evacuation of dozens of villages and towns in southern Lebanon, calling residents to move north of the Litani River. This announcement comes as Israeli strikes overnight continued over Lebanon, of which one hit a hotel in a quiet Beirut suburb. The Hezbollah militant group for the first time since this latest conflict between the two sides said it launched a precision-guided missile into Israel, though it was unclear whether it hit the intended target. The conflict in Lebanon has rapidly escalated since Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel after U.S. and Israeli strikes over Iran killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the group’s key patron. Tens of thousands in this tiny country have been displaced, and the Israeli military is not ruling out a ground invasion into southern Lebanon. The Lebanese government has condemned Hezbollah’s strikes into Israel that sparked this latest conflict, and are scrambling for a de-escalation."
2. Loud blasts and big plumes of smoke seen on the skyline
3. Damage to the Comfort Hotel
4. Various of people carrying belongings, leaving damaged hotel
5. Various of displaced people by seaside
6. Loud blasts and big plumes of smoke seen on the skyline
STORYLINE:
Israel's military ordered on Wednesday residents of dozens of border villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate “immediately” as airstrikes on suburbs of Beirut intensified and Hezbollah claimed more attacks.

Lebanon was dragged early Monday into the war in the Middle East, which erupted following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, when Hezbollah fired rockets and drones into northern Israel, triggering Israeli retaliatory airstrikes on different parts of the country that killed more than 50 people wounded about 300 and dispalced tens of thousands of people from southern Lebanon, the eastern Bekaa Valley and Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Israeli authorities and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in late 2024 after the Iranian-backed militant group started firing at Israel following the war in Gaza.

Despite the ceasefire, Israeli strikes killed nearly 400 people in Lebanon until Monday’s escalation.

The Israeli military issued a statement Wednesday telling people living in dozens of villages in southern Lebanon close to the border with Israel to evacuate and move “immediately” north of the Litani River.

The Israeli army’s Arabic spokesperson warned on X that if people decide to move south of the river, they will be endangering their lives.

The area south of the Litani River, about 8% of the size of Lebanon, is mostly along the border with Israel.

The Lebanese government says it has cleared the area of Hezbollah’s military presence there over the past months.

The order came after airstrikes overnight on the predominantly Christian southeastern suburb of Hazmieh that struck a hotel.

Others hit the towns of Aramoun and Saadiyat just south of Beirut’s international airport, killing six and wounding eight.

Another strike hit the eastern city of Baalbek, killing six people and wounding 15, according to state media.

The four airstrikes came without a warning in advance, which usually implies targeted assassinations.

Security officials speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations said the man targeted in Hazmieh was a local official in Beirut’s southern suburb of Ghobeiri who got wounded.
















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