Two people walk down an alley in the Christian neighbourhood of Tyre, in southern Lebanon, on June 1, 2026. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L'Orient-Le Jour)
The Israeli army's unsubstantiated claims that dozens of Hezbollah fighters are hiding in Sour's Christian quarter sparked panic Tuesday evening in the main city of southern Lebanon. After the message was issued, calling on residents to demand the expulsion of the fighters or face military action, Lebanese Army intelligence units dispatched patrols to the area, accompanied by municipal representatives, to verify that no armed elements were present, L'Orient-Le Jour's correspondent in southern Lebanon, Muntasser Abdallah, reports.
The episode comes as Lebanese and Israeli officials are holding talks in Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday under U.S. auspices.
Earlier in the evening, the Israeli army claimed, without providing concrete evidence, that it had recently "detected activities of dozens of Hezbollah-affiliated elements inside the Christian quarter" of Sour.
"This is not the first time we have revealed Hezbollah activities in Christian areas, due to its belief that these zones offer it safer refuge," Ella Waweya, the Israeli army's Arabic-language spokesperson, wrote on X.
The statement noted that evacuation notices issued in recent days for parts of Sour did not include the Christian quarter. The Israeli army called on "members of the Christian community of Sour to demand the expulsion of Hezbollah saboteurs" from their neighborhoods, while warning that the group's fighters were "not safe" there.
"If you continue to stay and operate in this area, the Israeli army will issue evacuation orders for the Christian quarter and take necessary action against you," the statement said.
Shortly after the warning was published, Lebanese Army intelligence units, accompanied by municipal officials, conducted reconnaissance and verification operations in the neighborhood to ensure that no armed elements had infiltrated the area.
According to several residents interviewed by L'Orient-Le Jour, the Israeli claim caused considerable concern. Some described a particularly tense atmosphere, while several families reportedly left the neighborhood for Saida, Beirut or other areas considered safer.
Residents said, however, that they did not believe Hezbollah fighters were present in the area. They noted that it is a relatively small neighborhood where residents know one another well and where the presence of strangers or suspicious individuals would quickly be noticed.
Nevertheless, they said they would await the results of the Lebanese Army's inspections before drawing conclusions.
Israeli bombardments have targeted Sour repeatedly in recent days. Overnight Sunday into Monday, strikes hit the vicinity of Jabal Amel Hospital, killing eight people in a single attack.
The city, many of whose buildings have been completely destroyed, is now home to only about 5,000 residents, down from its usual population of 60,000, according to our correspondent. An estimated 15,000 displaced people are also staying in reception centers in the city and surrounding areas.
