Beirut, June 1, (dpa/GNA) – The Israeli military has called on residents of the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut to flee.
In a message in Arabic on X, a military spokesman said people should leave their homes for their own safety. If the Hezbollah militia continues its attacks on Israeli cities and towns, the Israeli army will respond with attacks on targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the message said.
This is the first such evacuation call for this area since a ceasefire came into effect in mid-April. Israel had already announced new attacks on Hezbollah targets in the Dahiyeh suburbs, prompting many residents to flee the area from the morning.
The suburbs are an important Hezbollah stronghold, as well as being a densely populated residential area. Many buildings in the area have already been destroyed in the current conflict.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said earlier on Monday, he intends to continue talks with the Israeli government despite the escalating tensions between Israel and the Shiite militia Hezbollah.
Israeli and Lebanese representatives are set to meet on Tuesday in Washington for direct talks to end the fighting. However, Hezbollah is not a party to the talks, and the conditions for an effective ceasefire are not promising.
Israel has expanded its ongoing offensive in the south and is advancing further north, while Hezbollah has stepped up its attacks on northern Israel.
GNA