Widespread Israeli escalation in Lebanon: Warnings to evacuate entire cities and Hezbollah ambushes invading forces

The Israeli occupation army escalated its aggression on Lebanese territories today, Saturday, issuing immediate warnings to evacuate 13 towns and villages in the southern and western Bekaa regions. Military orders demanded residents immediately move north of the Zahrani River, in a preparatory step to carry out widespread bombing operations in those areas.

Field sources reported that evacuation orders are no longer limited to specific buildings or small villages but have expanded to include entire cities, as happened in Nabatieh and Tyre. This shift indicates the occupation's desire to empty population centers in southern Lebanon, reflecting an unprecedented escalation in the level of ground and air military operations.

Since talks began about ceasefire paths, the occupation authorities have issued evacuation orders covering more than a hundred Lebanese towns so far. Observers believe that this policy aims to exert maximum pressure on the popular base and the Lebanese negotiating side by turning major cities into uninhabitable areas.

On the ground, Israeli warplanes launched a series of intense raids and formed fierce fire belts targeting the town of Kafr Tibnit, part of the Nabatieh district. These attacks come as part of the occupation army's attempts to encircle and gain fire control over the town of Yahmar al-Shaqif after previous attempts to advance in its strategic vicinity failed.

The scope of aerial bombardment expanded to include the towns of Ansar, Jumayjimah, and Mayfadoun, while an Israeli drone targeted the vicinity of the government hospital in Nabatieh city. Violent raids also hit the town of Mashghara in the western Bekaa, and the towns of Toulain and Qabrikha in the Marjayoun district, amidst a state of panic among the remaining civilians.

In an initial count of today's casualties, 5 people were martyred and others injured as a result of continuous raids on various Lebanese regions. Official sources stated that 3 martyrs fell in the town of Ansar and Nabatieh villages, while rescue teams managed to recover two martyrs from under the rubble of a destroyed building in the Burj al-Shamali area of Tyre district.

Even the Lebanese army was not spared from Israeli attacks, as the army command announced that two soldiers were injured to varying degrees after an Israeli drone targeted their vehicle. The attack occurred on the public road of Abba in the Nabatieh district while the soldiers were performing their field duties, raising the intensity of direct targeting of the Lebanese military institution.

Returning to yesterday's statistics, the Lebanese Ministry of Health revealed the martyrdom of 11 people, including a paramedic who was performing his humanitarian duty, and the injury of 8 others in Tyre city. These figures confirm the occupation's deliberate targeting of medical and relief teams to obstruct rescue operations for the wounded and the recovery of missing persons from under the rubble.

On the front of the field confrontation, Hezbollah announced the execution of a well-planned ambush at dawn today targeting an Israeli force that attempted to advance towards the town of Ghunduriya. Hezbollah clarified in a military statement that it detonated explosive devices on the invading force and showered it with a barrage of rockets and machine guns, resulting in confirmed casualties among the occupation soldiers.

The statement indicated that the occupation forces were forced to withdraw the injured under heavy smoke cover, coinciding with intense aerial and artillery bombardment of the area to secure the withdrawal operation. This operation is a new blow to the attempts of ground incursions through which the Israeli army seeks to establish strongholds within the border villages.

In the context of air defense, Hezbollah confirmed its confrontation with an Israeli drone of the 'Hermes 450' type in the airspace of the eastern Zawtar town, forcing it to leave Lebanese airspace. The party's missile force also continued to pound northern settlements, targeting Kiryat Shmona and the strategic Meron base with intense rocket barrages.

For its part, the Israeli army radio acknowledged detecting the launch of about 15 rockets from Lebanese territory towards towns in the Upper Galilee since last night. Sirens sounded in several border settlements, prompting settlers to take refuge in shelters, coinciding with the continued rocket volleys launched from the south.

Field data indicate that Israel is adopting a 'negotiation under fire' strategy, increasing the pace of infrastructure and city destruction in parallel with political activity. This military behavior aims to extract political concessions in indirect negotiations conducted through international mediation, by increasing the human and material cost for Lebanon.

The scene in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa remains open to all possibilities, given the occupation's insistence on expanding the geographical scope of targeting to include the depths of cities. With the resistance continuing to carry out qualitative operations and border ambushes, the complexities of the field situation increase, casting a shadow over any potential political understandings in the near future.

The current escalation reflects the negotiation under fire policy adopted by Israel through intensifying airstrikes and military pressure in parallel with ongoing discussions.