The Israel Defense Forces on Thursday issued an “urgent” warning for some residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs—a stronghold of the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group—to immediately evacuate their homes. Col. Avichay Adraee, from the Arab Media Branch in the Israeli military’s Spokesperson’s Unit, ordered residents of Beirut’s Bourj el-Barajneh, Hadath, Haret Hreik and Shiyyah areas to leave and “save your lives.”
The four neighborhoods have a combined total of upward of 75,000 residents, according to official data. However, local reports suggested that as many as 500,000 people could be affected by the evacuation, as the suburbs have large unregistered populations, including refugees. “We will notify you when it is safe to return to your homes,” tweeted Adraee, noting that they are forbidden from heading south, as “any movement southward may put your lives in danger.”
On Wednesday, the IDF ordered all civilians in Southern Lebanon to move north of the Litani River. “The activities of the Hezbollah terrorist organization are forcing the Israel Defense Forces to act against it with force. The IDF does not intend to harm you,” wrote Adraee in a notice posted to X. (Ed note: History note: Do you realize that we're talking about an international city of more than 2.4 million people? Do you recall that in the 1950's and 1960's that Beirut was called the "Paris of the Middle East?") (Read More)