ADDS WARNING STRIKES, DISPLACEMENT, ISRAELI ARMY STATEMENTS
By Rania Abu Shamala
ISTANBUL (AA) - The Israeli army ordered residents of three neighborhoods in southern Beirut to leave the areas Thursday ahead of airstrikes.
A statement ordered residents to stay 300 meters (984.25 feet) from several buildings in the neighborhoods of Hadath, Haret Hreik and Borj al-Barajneh.
It attached a map of the targeted buildings, saying it would act against Hezbollah assets in the area.
Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee later stated that the military “will soon target” what he claimed are “several underground facilities used for drone production.”
Lebanon’s National News Agency, NNA, reported intensive Israeli drone activity above Beirut’s southern suburbs following the warning.
It noted that there was large-scale displacement of residents from the three targeted neighborhoods.
“Israeli enemy aircraft carried out warning strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs,” it said, without providing further details on the nature or targets of the strikes.
Israeli forces have conducted near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah’s activities despite a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that was reached last November. The truce ended months of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.
Lebanese authorities have reported nearly 3,000 Israeli violations of the truce, including the deaths of at least 208 people and injuries to more than 500 since the agreement.
Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Tel Aviv refused to comply. Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.