Israel orders evacuation of 25 towns in southern Lebanon

JERUSALEM (AA) – The Israeli army has issued immediate evacuation orders for residents of 25 towns in southern Lebanon amid a huge air campaign on the country.

Military spokesman Avichay Adraee asked residents of the targeted towns to leave their homes and move north of the Awali River.

The list of the targeted towns include Borgholiyeh, Qasmiyeh, Nabi Qasim, Al-Matariyyah, Kharayeb, Mazraat Kauthariyet El Rez, Ansar, Babliyeh, Deir Taqla, Aadloun and Ansariyeh.

Also on the list are the towns of Merouaniyeh, Zefta, Bfaroueh, Habbouch, Nabatieh, Sejoud, Jbaa, Aanqoun, Bnaafoul, Qennarit, Zeita, Aarnaya, Mazraat Matariyet Jbaa, and Tanbourit.

Adraee did not specify any date for displaced millions to ever return, vaguely speaking of how the Israeli army will allow the residents of these towns to return “when appropriate conditions allow.”

The Israeli army has issued several evacuation orders for dozens of towns in southern Lebanon as Tel Aviv carried out air and ground attacks in the area.

Israel also made millions of Palestinians from Gaza evacuate dozens of times to so-called ‘safe zones’ where they were bombarded again.

Israel has launched a huge air campaign across Lebanon against what it alleges are ‘Hezbollah targets’ since September 23, killing at least 1,488 people, injuring over 4,297 others, and displacing more than 1.34 million people.

Despite international warnings that the Mideast was on the brink of a regional war amid Israel’s relentless attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, it expanded the conflict on October 1 by launching an incursion into southern Lebanon, emboldened by consistent support from Western allies.