Israel expands Lebanon operation, orders tens of thousands more to evacuate
Daniel Khalili-Tari
Israel ordered the mandatory evacuation of all residents south of the Zahrani River in southern Lebanon, expanding its ground incursion as it moves toward the city of Nabatieh. The Israeli military also captured the strategic Beaufort Castle, a hilltop fortress near Nabatieh. The operation has triggered a humanitarian crisis, with Israeli forces controlling one-fifth of Lebanese territory.
Israel ordered the mandatory evacuation of all residents living south of the Zahrani River in southern Lebanon on Sunday, as it expanded its ground incursion ahead of a possible attack on the city of Nabatieh.
Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee, in an Arabic-language social media post, urged residents to immediately move north of the Zahrani River, warning that anyone remaining in the area risked death.
Israel issued more than 10 evacuation orders in the preceding 24 hours as it widened its campaign against Hezbollah. Israeli forces crossed the Litani River on Friday for the first time since 2006.
Israel captured Beaufort Castle, perched atop a strategic hill near Nabatieh, Lebanon’s fifth-largest city. Israeli forces had previously seized the 12th-century fortress in 1982 and held it until withdrawing from Lebanon 18 years later.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the capture of the fortress as a significant tactical victory. He said, under the direction of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the military expanded the operation, crossed the Litani River and captured the Beaufort hill range — one of the most strategic positions for protecting the Galilee communities and ensuring security for Israeli forces.
Israel has encircled Nabatieh, a city crucial to southern Lebanon’s economy and a regional cultural hub. Many Lebanese consider Nabatieh a symbol of resistance due to its history on the front lines of Israeli attacks.
Despite Israeli advances in southern Lebanon, Hezbollah continued to target Israeli forces. Israel confirmed one soldier was killed in a Hezbollah drone attack the previous day, bringing the total number of Israeli soldiers killed since fighting escalated on March 2 to 25.
Al Jazeera correspondent Nida Ibrahim reported from the occupied West Bank that the Israeli government believes Hezbollah has grown stronger in recent months and shown more defiance, particularly through drone attacks that have caused casualties in Israel. Hezbollah has deployed fiber-optic drones with jamming resistance that are nearly undetectable by radar. These low-cost drones have penetrated Israel’s multi-layered, billion-dollar air defense system.
'Scorched earth' policy
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the Israeli incursion, accusing its southern neighbor of pursuing a “scorched earth” policy and imposing “collective punishment” on the people of southern Lebanon. Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto, reporting from Tyre, said the Israeli invasion has created a humanitarian crisis: The Israeli military has created a zone covering one-fifth of Lebanese territory where people cannot go, many families cannot return home, and homes and businesses have been destroyed.
Israel and Lebanon are currently engaged in US-brokered peace talks. Officials from both countries met at the Pentagon in Washington on Friday to discuss implementing a ceasefire nominally in effect since mid-April, which Israel has repeatedly violated. Talks are expected to continue next week.
Filippo Dionigi, senior lecturer in International Relations at the University of Bristol, told Al Jazeera that the Lebanese government is in an extremely difficult position because Israel currently shows no interest in peace, which reinforces Hezbollah’s argument that it is the country’s only means of defense. Both Lebanon and Israel want Hezbollah disarmed, but Beirut struggles with this task. Hezbollah, stronger than the government army, argues it is the only defense against Israel.
