Following a number of reports of fighting in the area, the Israeli Defense Forces have issued evacuations on seven towns in the Nabatieh District north of the Litani river, saying that Hezbollah continues to violate the ceasefire agreement and that the army was “compelled to act forcefully.”
The towns form a pocket where the Litani River bends north and are geographically close to Israel’s Golan Heights. Parts of the area are covered under Israel’s declared forward defense zone, a 5-10 kilometer ribbon north of Israel’s borders.
Fighting Ongoing
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the IDF to forcefully strike Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, according to a statement issued by his office on Saturday, April 26.
On Sunday, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported a strike in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, with shelling on the outskirts of Mayfadoun and Yohmor; it also separately reported shelling on Yohmor and the outskirts of Zawtar. Later there were reports of a strike in Zawtar al-Gharbiyah and another strike on a motorcycle on the Zawtar al-Sharqiyah road.
Around noon, the IDF, issued evacuation orders on Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, Zawtar al-Gharbiyah, Mayfadoun, Yohmor, Armoun, Kfar Tebnit, and Shoukin, citing continued Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire.
The IDF said Hezbollah launched explosive drones toward Israeli soldiers in the Qantara area west of the Golan Heights with no IDF injuries, and said it located Hezbollah weapons caches and continued operations south of the forward defense line. Following the warning to evacuate the seven towns, the IDF put out a secondary statement claiming the Air Force had intercepted another three hostile drones.
It also said it eliminated more than 15 Hezbollah fighters over the weekend, including three in a vehicle “loaded with weapons” and another on a motorcycle in southern Lebanon.
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