Israel has significantly escalated its military campaign in southern Lebanon, issuing one of its broadest evacuation orders of the conflict and conducting sustained airstrikes, as a US-brokered ceasefire continues to unravel.
On Wednesday, the IDF declared all areas south of the Zahrani River a combat zone, pushing the designated danger area some 40 kilometers north of the Israeli border, well beyond the previous Litani River line. The order affects hundreds of towns and villages, including areas around Tyre and Nabatieh, and came as Israeli strikes continued around the clock in southern and eastern Lebanon.
Lebanese sources reported over 120 strikes in a single heavy day earlier this week, with dozens killed including civilians. Strikes in and around Tyre destroyed multiple structures the IDF described as Hezbollah infrastructure. Ground operations have also expanded, with IDF forces reported to have pushed beyond previous lines, with clashes recorded in areas including Zawtar Sharqieh.
Hezbollah has continued firing drones and missiles toward northern Israel. A female Israeli soldier was killed and two reserve soldiers wounded in a drone strike near Shomera on Wednesday, in an attack the IDF said violated the ceasefire terms. This is in addition to 11 other soldiers Hezbollah has murdered in drone attcaks and some 200 injured, many seriously.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly ordered intensified strikes to crush Hezbollah's capabilities. Israel maintains that Hezbollah has failed to withdraw or disarm as required under the ceasefire agreement brokered by Washington in mid-April. Hezbollah and Lebanese officials counter that Israeli strikes and troop presence are themselves ceasefire violations.
