JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military on Monday called on residents of southern Lebanon to immediately evacuate homes and other buildings where Hezbollah stores weapons and said it was carrying out “large-scale strikes” against the militant group.
It is the first such warning in nearly a year of steadily escalating conflict, and comes after a particularly intense exchange of fire on Sunday. Hezbollah launched about 150 rockets, missiles and drones toward northern Israel in retaliation for strikes that killed a senior commander and dozens of fighters.
The escalation of strikes and counterattacks has raised fears of all-out war, even as Israel continues to battle Palestinian Hamas in Gaza and tries to return scores of hostages taken in the Oct. 7 attack. Hezbollah has vowed to continue its strikes in solidarity with the Palestinians and Hamas, another Iran-backed militant group, while Israel says it is determined to restore calm on the border.
Lebanon’s National News Agency (LNA) said the strikes hit the central province of Byblos for the first time since the exchanges began in October. Israel also bombed targets in the northeastern areas of Baalbek and Hermel, where a shepherd was killed and two members of his family were wounded, the news agency said. A total of 17 people were injured in the strikes.
An Israeli military official said Israel was focusing on air operations and had no immediate plans for a ground operation. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said the strikes were aimed at limiting Hezbollah’s ability to launch further strikes against Israel.
Lebanese media reported that residents received text messages urging them to stay away from any buildings where Hezbollah stores weapons until further notice.
“If you find yourself in a building housing Hezbollah weapons, stay away from the village until further notice,” the message read in Arabic, according to Lebanese media.
It is not yet clear how many people will be affected by the Israeli orders. Communities on both sides of the border have been largely emptied of their populations due to the near-daily exchanges of fire.
Israel accuses Hezbollah of turning entire southern towns into militant bases, hiding rocket launchers and other infrastructure. This could lead it to launch a particularly intense bombing campaign, even if no ground forces intervene.
The army said it had targeted more than 150 besieged sites as of Monday morning. Residents of several villages in southern Lebanon posted photos of airstrikes and large plumes of smoke on social media. The official National News Agency also reported airstrikes on several 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 different parts of Lebanon, killing 39 people and wounding nearly 3,000. Lebanon has accused Israel of being responsible for the attacks, but Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility.
Hezbollah began firing on Israel a day after the October 7 attack, in what it said was an attempt to force Israeli forces to help Palestinian fighters in Gaza. Israel responded with airstrikes, and the conflict has intensified over the past year.
The fighting has left hundreds dead in Lebanon, dozens in Israel and tens of thousands displaced on both sides of the border. It has also sparked brush fires that have destroyed farmland and disfigured the landscape.
Israel has vowed to push Hezbollah away from the border so its citizens can return home, saying it prefers to do so through diplomacy but is prepared to use force. Hezbollah has said it will continue its attacks until a ceasefire is established in Gaza, but that appears increasingly elusive as the war approaches its anniversary.
Hamas militants stormed southern Israel on October 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting about 250. About 100 captives remain in Gaza, a third of whom are believed to have died, with most of the rest freed during a week-long ceasefire in November.
The Israeli offensive has left more than 41,000 Palestinians dead, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and fighters in its count. It says women and children account for just over half of the casualties. Israel claims to have killed more than 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.
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Mroue reports from Beirut.
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