Israeli army makes fresh call for southern Beirut residents to evacuate

The Israeli army on Saturday night announced a new call for residents to evacuate from Beirut’s southern suburbs, as it continued to target Hezbollah positions in the Lebanese capital.

“For your safety and that of your family members, you must immediately evacuate the designated buildings and those adjacent to them and move away from them at least 500 metres,” said spokesman Avichay Adraee on social media, alongside satellite images highlighting areas in the Burj el-Barajneh, Haret Hreik and Chouaifat al-Amrussiya neighbourhoods.

Several explosions could be heard in south Beirut after the evacuation call, Agence France-Presse reported.

The Israeli army is continuing its attacks in Lebanon from the air and with artillery fire. According to the Lebanese state agency NNA, attacks late on Saturday were aimed at Udaissa in the southeast, where the Shiite militia Hezbollah had reported initial fighting with Israeli ground troops.

According to NNA reports, the Israeli air force carried out several attacks on villages in the south, including near Tyre and Nabatiyeh, as well as in suburbs south of the capital Beirut. In some cases, large fires broke out. A drone attack also hit the coastal town of Ghaziyeh.

The Lebanese Health Ministry reported 25 additional deaths and more than 120 additional injuries as a result of Israeli attacks. The ministry does not distinguish in its figures between Hezbollah members and civilians.

In addition to the area around Udaissa, which, according to the NNA reports, was heavily shelled by the Israeli army, there is still heavy shelling near Bint Jubayl, close to the demarcation line with Israel.