Israeli forced evacuation orders, strikes intensify in Nabatieh, Sour districts

Israel, which carried out a “targeted” strike Thursday in Choueifat, continued its attacks throughout the day in southern Lebanon, particularly in the Nabatieh region and Sour district, as Israeli troops stationed in southern Lebanon reportedly advanced north of the Litani River.

The Israeli army also issued new evacuation orders for several towns in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, calling on residents to move north of the Zahrani River. The warnings targeted the villages of Habboush, Kfour, Ain Qana, Kfar Roummane and Nabatieh Tahta in the Nabatieh region, as well as “residents of the city of Sour and the surrounding camps and neighborhoods.” The village of Sohmor in the southern Bekaa was also included in the warnings.

Throughout the day, Israeli drone strikes targeted motorcycles in several southern Lebanese towns, including Bazourieh in the Sour district, where a man was seriously wounded, and Zifta. In Sour, two people were killed. Another strike on the road linking Zifta and Deir Zahrani killed a Lebanese Army soldier, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Muntasser Abdallah.

In Jibsheet, in the Nabatieh district, a drone strike wounded a Bangladeshi worker, his wife and their son. A house between Qaaqaaiyet al-Snoubar and Ghassanieh in the Saida district was destroyed, while a parked vehicle near Sheikh Ragheb Harb Hospital in Nabatieh was also targeted. The Israeli army additionally struck a tuk-tuk in Zifta.

A particularly intense wave of strikes hit the Nabatieh region, including the al-Maslakh and al-Midan neighborhoods, as well as Harouf, Mayfadoun, and the outskirts of Ghandourieh. The towns of Kfar Joz, Kfar Tibnit, Arnoun, Yohmor al-Shaqif, Habboush, Mayfadoun ,and Kfour were also targeted, leaving several people wounded. Two bombs landed near Nabatieh Governmental Hospital.

The Imam Mahdi Mosque, located near the Nabatieh courthouse, was destroyed in one of the strikes, according to images provided by our correspondent. Two additional bombardments targeted Kfar Tibnit, while another raid struck Shoukin, on the outskirts of Nabatieh.

Strikes also targeted Rmadieh, Kfar Dounin, Qleileh, Mansouri, Srifa, and Zibqine in the Sour district; Qotrani in Jezzine district; Touline and Debbine in Marjayoun district; and Haris and Shaqra in Bint Jbeil district.

In the Bekaa Valley, Israeli aircraft carried out raids on Sohmor, including a strike on a hangar at the northern entrance to the town that completely destroyed the structure and left a large crater, according to our Bekaa correspondent, Sarah Abdallah.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Joe Rajji said he was following “with deep sorrow and grave concern” the Israeli attacks on the historic city of Sour, which have affected its old quarters, churches, mosques and heritage sites “that have spanned thousands of years,” according to the state-run National News Agency.

Rajji said he had engaged in intensive diplomatic contacts, calling for an immediate halt to the strikes and advocating for the protection of cultural heritage “that concerns not only Lebanon, but all humanity.”

Deadly night: At least 11 killed, 21 wounded by Israel

Early Thursday morning, the Israeli army struck the city of Sour, one day after warning that it would consider all Lebanese territory south of the Zahrani River — around 25 miles from the border — a “combat zone.”

Around 3:30 a.m., the Israeli army issued evacuation orders for several buildings in Zoqaq al-Mufdi and other parts of Sour, triggering a wave of overnight displacement.

Around 4:30 a.m., a strike on Burj al-Shemali wounded several people and caused heavy damage. Shortly after 5 a.m., Israeli warplanes targeted another building in Sour.

Two warning strikes were then carried out by an Israeli drone, one targeting the archaeological site neighborhood and another the al-Ghadir neighborhood. Minutes later, at 5:25 a.m., two airstrikes hit the threatened buildings near the archaeological site.

The Israeli army later targeted a building adjacent to the al-Ghadir bakery, as well as buildings in the al-Rifai neighborhood and the Jal al-Bahr area.

According to our correspondent, one of the strikes in Sour killed an entire family: Kamal Kassab and his two children, Mustafa, and Celine.

Earlier, around 2 a.m. in Saida, an Israeli warplane struck an apartment in a multistory building in the Qiaya area. The missile hit the apartment directly, killing four people.

Southern Lebanon was also hit overnight by intense Israeli bombardment targeting a building in Maarakeh, another in Sour, buildings in Deir Zahrani, and several homes in Maaroub.

The towns of Kafra in Bint Jbeil district; Qotrani and the hills of Jabal al-Rihan in Jezzine district; and Arab Salim, Habboush, Kfar Joz and Kfar Roummane in Nabatieh district were also targeted.

An Israeli drone strike on a vehicle on the main Saida-Sour road near Adloun killed six people, including a father and his son.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said the overnight strikes on Saida and Adloun killed at least 11 people, including two children, and wounded 21 others.

According to the Ministry, the strike on a residential building in central Sidon killed at least five people, including two women, and wounded 21 others, including five children.

UNIFIL ‘deeply concerned’

UNIFIL said Thursday it was “deeply concerned about the recent escalation in southern Lebanon.”

“The ongoing conflict is causing deaths, injuries and widespread destruction. The situation further undermines stability in the region,” the U.N. peacekeeping force said in a statement.

UNIFIL added that “approximately 670 projectiles were fired on Wednesday, the highest level since April 17.”

The force also said that “civilians continue to bear the heaviest burden of these events” and that “hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes, often on very short notice.”

“The damage to homes, roads and essential infrastructure is severely affecting daily life,” the statement added.

UNIFIL said peacekeepers “remain on the ground, monitoring the situation and reporting to the Security Council.”

“We continue to engage in dialogue with the parties to help reduce tensions and remind them of their obligations under Resolution 1701,” it said.

In recent days, Israel has intensified its ground and air operations in eastern and southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah says “direct” clashes are taking place despite the cease-fire theoretically in effect since April 17.

The escalation comes ahead of a military meeting between Lebanon and Israel scheduled for Friday at the Pentagon and new rounds of negotiations under U.S. sponsorship set for June 2 and 3.