Israel warns civilians to evacuate as it attacks large parts of southern Lebanon: NPR

Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike on the village of Kfar Rouman, seen from the town of Marjayoun in southern Lebanon on Monday.

Hussein Malla/AP

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Hussein Malla/AP

JERUSALEM – The Israeli military on Monday called on residents of southern Lebanon to immediately vacate their homes and other buildings where Hezbollah allegedly stores weapons, saying it was carrying out “extensive attacks” against the militant group.

It was the first warning of its kind in a conflict that has escalated for nearly a year and came after a particularly fierce exchange of fire on Sunday. Hezbollah fired around 150 rockets, missiles and drones into northern Israel in retaliation for attacks that killed a senior commander and dozens of fighters.

There was no sign of an immediate exodus from the villages in southern Lebanon.

The escalating attacks and counterattacks have raised fears of all-out war, even as Israel continues to fight Palestinian Hamas in Gaza and seeks to release dozens of hostages captured in the October 7 Hamas attack. Hezbollah has vowed to continue its attacks in solidarity with the Palestinians and Hamas, another Iranian-backed militant group, while Israel says it is committed to restoring calm along the border.

Associated Press journalists in southern Lebanon reported heavy air strikes on Monday morning in numerous areas, including some far from the border.

The Lebanese state news agency said the strikes hit a forested area in the central province of Byblos, about 130 kilometers north of the Israeli-Lebanese border, for the first time since attacks began in October. No casualties were reported there. Israel also bombed targets in the northeastern regions of Baalbek and Hermel, where a shepherd was killed and two family members were injured, the news agency said. In total, 17 people were injured in the attacks.

An Israeli military official said Israel was focusing on air operations and had no immediate plans for a ground operation. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in accordance with regulations, said the strikes were aimed at limiting Hezbollah’s ability to launch further attacks on Israel.

Lebanese media reported that residents had received text messages asking them to stay away from all buildings where Hezbollah stores weapons until further notice.

“If you are in a building where Hezbollah weapons are stored, leave the village until further notice,” the Arab embassy said, according to Lebanese media.

Lebanese Information Minister Ziad Makary said in a statement that his office in Beirut received a recorded message asking people to leave the building.

“This is part of the psychological war being waged by the enemy,” Makary said, urging people “not to give the matter more attention than it deserves.”

It was not immediately clear how many people would be affected by the Israeli orders. Communities on both sides of the border have largely emptied due to the almost daily exchanges of fire.

Israel accuses Hezbollah of turning entire communities in the south into militant bases with hidden rocket launchers and other infrastructure. This could prompt Hezbollah to launch particularly heavy bombing raids even if ground troops are not advancing.

The military said it had attacked more than 150 militant positions early Monday. Residents of several villages in southern Lebanon posted photos of airstrikes and large clouds of smoke on social media. The state news agency also reported airstrikes on various areas.

An Israeli airstrike on a Beirut suburb on Friday killed a senior Hezbollah military commander and more than a dozen fighters, as well as dozens of civilians, including women and children.

Last week, thousands of communications devices used mainly by Hezbollah members exploded in various parts of Lebanon, killing 39 people and injuring nearly 3,000. Lebanon blamed Israel for the attacks, but Israel did not confirm or deny its responsibility.

A day after the October 7 attack, Hezbollah began firing into Israel, saying it was an attempt to get Israeli forces to support Palestinian fighters in Gaza. Israel responded with airstrikes, and the conflict has steadily escalated over the past year.

Hundreds of people have died in the fighting in Lebanon and dozens in Israel. Tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border have had to flee their homes. In addition, bush fires have broken out, destroying agriculture and disfiguring the landscape.

Israel has promised to push Hezbollah back from the border so its citizens can return to their homes. It prefers to do this through diplomatic means, but is also prepared to use force. Hezbollah has said it will continue its attacks until there is a ceasefire in Gaza, but that seems increasingly unlikely as the anniversary of the war approaches.

On October 7, Hamas-led militants entered southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting about 250. About 100 prisoners remain in Gaza, a third of whom are believed dead, after most of the rest were released during a week-long ceasefire in November.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, over 41,000 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli offensive. The ministry makes no distinction between civilians and fighters in its count. Just over half of those killed were women and children. Israel claims to have killed over 17,000 militants, but provides no evidence.