Israeli army orders evacuation of three Lebanese towns despite truce

The Israeli military on Wednesday ordered residents of three southern Lebanese towns to evacuate their homes immediately, a move that comes amid a fragile truce that has failed to halt sporadic violence in the region.

Evacuation directives

Army spokesman Avichay Adraee issued separate warnings for the villages of Ghassaniyeh and Houmine al-Faouqa, instructing residents to move at least 1,000 meters away to open areas. Minutes later, a similar alert targeted Ansariyeh, with orders to move north of the Zahrani River.

Truce under strain

The evacuation directives follow a pattern of continued Israeli operations despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect on April 17 and was subsequently extended through early July. On Sunday, Israeli warplanes struck Beirut, prompting Iran to launch retaliatory missiles into northern Israel and triggering waves of Israeli counterstrikes against Iranian positions. Tehran announced on Monday that it had ended its attacks on Israel but warned of a "crushing" response if Israeli strikes in Lebanon persist, according to Iranian state media.

Casualties mount

Lebanese authorities report that more than 3,660 people have been killed and over 11,300 wounded since Israel expanded its military campaign in Lebanon on March 2. The offensive has displaced more than 1 million people, according to official figures from Beirut.