Mutual airstrikes, ground clashes, advancing Israeli troops, widespread destruction and a rising death toll: the situation between Israel and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia in Lebanon is once again escalating sharply.
A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon was declared in April and has since been extended twice. Despite the agreement, hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia have continued almost daily.
Hezbollah is not a party to the ceasefire and has refused to enter negotiations with Israel.
Heavy attacks resume
Intense Israeli airstrikes were reported again throughout Wednesday in southern and eastern Lebanon.
Lebanese security sources said renewed heavy strikes hit areas around the southern city of Nabatiyeh and surrounding regions, while the state news agency NNA reported further attacks in the east of the country.
At least seven airstrikes were reported near the ancient city of Baalbek. There were initially no official figures on casualties. Lebanese authorities said 31 people were killed in Israeli strikes since Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military reported further drone attacks launched from Lebanon into northern Israel, triggering warning sirens in several areas. The army also said it had identified “suspicious aerial objects” near Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, one of which was intercepted. No injuries were reported.
The Israeli military further stated that it had struck more than 150 Hezbollah targets on Tuesday near the cities of Tyre and Nabatiyeh, as well as in the Bekaa Valley.
Israel declares southern Lebanon a ‘combat zone’
On Wednesday evening, the Israeli military declared large parts of southern Lebanon a “combat zone” and called on the population to flee.
All residents living south of the Zahrani River should head north to safety, a military spokesman announced in Arabic on the X platform. The Zahrani River runs approximately 40 kilometres north of the Lebanese-Israeli border.
In a video message, the spokesman said people should stay away from Hezbollah infrastructure. The Israeli military is preparing to take action against the Lebanese militia “with extreme force.”
Earlier, the military had already issued evacuation orders for residents of several southern Lebanese cities, including Tyre and Nabatiyeh.
The warnings triggered renewed panic among the population. Eyewitnesses reported severe traffic congestion on roads leading towards the capital, Beirut. Nabatiyeh and Tyre are among the largest cities in southern Lebanon.
Local authorities in Tyre urged residents to seek shelter in the city’s stadium after emergency shelters reportedly reached capacity.
Lebanese security sources interpreted the evacuation orders as a sign that Israel may be preparing to broaden the scope of its military operations in Lebanon.
Israel expands ground operations in southern Lebanon
Hezbollah has also continued its attacks on Israeli targets. Sources within the Iran-backed group said its fighters were engaged in heavy clashes with Israeli ground forces north of the Litani River, including encounters near the so-called “Yellow Line.”
According to the Israeli military, its operations have expanded beyond this line, which runs roughly six to 10 kilometres from the Israeli border.
Israeli media also reported that Hezbollah has recently begun deploying fibre-optic drones, which are considered resistant to electronic jamming because they are controlled via physical cables rather than radio signals. The cables can extend up to 30 kilometres, allowing the drones to reach targets at greater distances.
An Israeli government representative told Channel 12 that the military has so far been “helpless” in countering the new technology.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, the Israeli military is permitted to take defensive action against imminent or ongoing attacks, but offensive operations on Lebanese territory are prohibited.
Both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violations.
The Lebanese army, which is not involved in the conflict, said two of its soldiers had been killed in Israeli strikes since Tuesday. The Israeli military said it was reviewing the death of the soldier killed on Tuesday and has not yet commented on the second soldier’s death.
In Lebanon, more than 3,200 people have been killed and almost 10,000 injured since the latest escalation began in early March, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.