Smoke rises over Deir Qanoun al-Nahr, on the outskirts of Sour, after an Israeli strike on the village on June 8, 2026. (Credit: Kawnat Haju/AFP)
SOUTH LEBANON — The Israeli military on Tuesday issues an evacuation order for the district of Sour, including its Christian quarter, ahead of strikes.
Previous evacuation orders had excluded the Christian quarter, but the military says Hezbollah militants are operating there, without providing evidence. It had previously warned residents that the area could be subject to evacuation orders if Hezbollah remained present.
Two Israeli airstrikes carried out around 9:20 a.m. on Sour’s popular housing district kill one person, whose body is recovered from the rubble by rescue teams, while two others remain missing, according to our regional correspondent.
Israeli warplanes had already carried out several strikes on the city of Sour before the evacuation order was issued, targeting the ''popular housing'' neighborhood (al-massaken al-shaabiya).
Four raids hit residential buildings in the area, according to our regional correspondent, who adds that ambulances were dispatched to the scene.
The Israeli army also orders the evacuation of the entire city of Sour and its surroundings, including the Christian neighborhood that had so far been spared threats and bombardment, ahead of expected strikes.
In a post on X, Arabic-language military spokesperson Avichay Adraee calls on residents across the area to « move north of the Zahrani River, » which flows into the sea more than 25 kilometers north of Sour.
He accuses Hezbollah of being present ''in the Christian neighborhood,'' repeating claims made in recent days, and warns that strikes against the group will take place ''in the near future.''
The localities included in the evacuation order are Shabriha, Hamdieh, Jal al-Bahr, Zkouk al-Mafdi, al-Bass, Maashouq, Burj al-Shemali, Nabaa, Hosh, Rashidieh and Ain Baal.
The evacuation zone outlined in the map published by Adraee covers an area of approximately 20 square kilometers.
Reporting contributed by our regional correspondent, Muntasser Abdallah.
