Israeli strikes and evacuation orders drive fresh displacement in south Lebanon

Shafaq News-
Beirut

A new wave of
displacement swept southern Lebanon on Saturday as Israeli airstrikes and
military evacuation orders sent residents fleeing from the Saida, Nabatieh, and
Tyre districts, despite extension of the ceasefire for 45 days.

According to local
media, the Israeli strikes hit dozens of villages including Yohmor al-Shaqif, Bebliyeh,
al-Gassaniyeh. Israeli forces also advanced toward the town of
Shebaa, conducting sweep operations with automatic weapons.

The Israeli army
also instructed Lebanese to evacuate nine villages in preperation for new
attacks “due to Hezbollah activity.”

The Israeli
military separately said it detected an unmanned aerial vehicle crossing from
Lebanon toward the Meron area, adding that the incident ended without
casualties. Israel’s home front command activated sirens in the Sdei Meron area
of the Upper Galilee following the detection.

On Friday, the US
Depratement of Stated the third round of talks in Washington between the
Lebanese and the Israeli delegation agreed on extending the ceasefire —reached
on April 17— by 45 days.

Lebanon’s
Health Ministry said Friday that Israeli strikes on southern and southeastern
Lebanon killed 55 people in the last 48 hours. The ministry put the total death
toll since escalation began on March 2 at 2,951 killed and 8,988 wounded.