The Israeli military has issued warnings to evacuate parts of southern Lebanon, including a built-up Palestinian refugee camp in Tyre. The Rashidiyeh refugee camp is one of several that were established in the 1948 Mideast war, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were driven out of what is now Israel. The latest warning comes as the Israeli military continues its aerial campaign against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, with airstrikes killing at least eight people in different parts of the country on Thursday.
The Israeli war effort began after Hezbollah began firing rockets, missiles, and drones on northern Israel, leading to a massive response from the Israeli military. The conflict is a result of a chain of events that began with an October 7 attack by Hamas on Gaza, which Iran backs along with Hezbollah. Israel has warned people to evacuate from large areas of the country, including major cities in the south and east, and over a million people have already fled their homes.
Israeli Military Warns of Evacuations in Southern Lebanon (Image via Getty)
The recent airstrikes in Lebanon have caused significant damage and loss of life. According to Lebanon’s state-run National News agency, seven people were killed in eastern Lebanon, while another strike killed a man on a motorcycle on the coastal highway between Tyre and Sidon. There was no immediate word on casualties in the third strike, which hit a car on a main highway running through the mountains outside the capital, Beirut. The strike closed the highway, diverting traffic through nearby villages.
The escalation of the conflict has raised concerns about the humanitarian situation in Lebanon, where over a million people have already been displaced. The UN has called for an immediate ceasefire and for the Israeli military to refrain from targeting civilians. As the conflict continues to unfold, international pressure will likely mount on both sides to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.
