The Israeli occupation army issued urgent and comprehensive warnings to all residents of areas located in South Lebanon, demanding them to evacuate their homes and immediately head north of the Zahrani River towards the city of Sidon. An official statement from the occupation declared that all lands and areas located south of this river are now legally and militarily classified as an active 'combat zone,' signaling a new phase of field escalation.
These orders coincided with leaks from within the political establishment in Tel Aviv, confirming intensive consultations between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Security Minister Yoav Gallant. These deliberations concluded on the necessity of discussing the expansion of ground and air military operations deep inside Lebanese territory, beyond the lines drawn in recent weeks.
Field sources reported that these directives caused a state of shock and extreme concern among local residents, with observers considering it an attempt at widespread forced displacement. These orders aim to empty approximately 307 southern towns and villages of their inhabitants, transforming the border area and the southern interior into an open confrontation zone devoid of civilians.
On-the-ground data indicates that the occupation has already begun moving its military machinery in multiple axes north of the 'Blue Line,' a step reflecting a desire to impose a new geographical reality. These movements raise urgent questions about the ability of thousands of displaced people to find safe shelter amidst increasing military pressure and continuous shelling targeting supply routes and displacement paths.
Amidst this accelerating deterioration, the Lebanese public awaits a decisive official stance from the Lebanese government, which has not issued a statement commensurate with the magnitude of the recent threats. However, sources revealed that a delegation of Lebanese army officers is heading to Washington to participate in a security meeting at the Pentagon, aimed at discussing serious security developments and ways to deal with the Israeli escalation.
Analysts believe that the recent Israeli orders represent an explicit declaration of the return of comprehensive war on Lebanon, supported by what appears to be a green light from the US administration to bypass previous understandings. It seems that the occupation seeks to expand the so-called 'security zone' to include wider areas in the South and Beqaa, exploiting current regional and international circumstances to impose its conditions.
Reports indicate that the occupation authorities do not pay much attention to the ongoing negotiation tracks, but rather focus their efforts on achieving tangible military gains on the ground. This strategy aims to pressure the Lebanese government through the weapon of mass displacement and the destruction of infrastructure in southern cities and villages to turn them into uninhabitable ruins.
Residents of South Lebanon face immense humanitarian challenges, as they are forced to leave their possessions and history behind under the direct threat of death. Villages that were once vibrant are turning into deserted areas, while fears are growing that these military operations may be prolonged and turn into a permanent occupation of some border areas.
On the ground, Israeli aircraft and artillery continue to target various locations in the South, complicating evacuation operations and making civilian movement a deadly risk. Local sources confirm that the shelling is no longer limited to presumed military targets, but now includes the vicinity of shelters and main roads used by displaced people heading north.
This new escalation places the international community before its responsibilities to stop the bloodshed and prevent South Lebanon from becoming a second Gaza in terms of the scale of destruction and displacement. With the occupation continuing to ignore international warnings, the scene remains open to all possibilities, including the outbreak of a wider regional confrontation that transcends Lebanese borders.
Israeli evacuation orders reveal intentions that go beyond stated goals to include the displacement of residents of over 300 southern towns.
شارك برأيك
The Occupation Declares South of Zahrani a 'Combat Zone' and Orders Evacuation of Hundreds of Lebanese Towns