The Israeli Defense Forces issued new evacuation orders Tuesday on sixteen towns northwest of the Israeli forward defense zone, saying Hezbollah violations had necessitated “forceful” action.
Later, following alerts to northern Israeli towns, the IDF destroyed two underground tunnels in Qantara, southern Lebanon, detonating over 450 tons of explosives, according to Israeli spokespeople.
The town sits between the Golan Heights on its east and the newly evacuated area on its west, currently designated as part of Israel’s forward defense zone. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the army had orders to destroy all Hezbollah infrastructure in the Israeli buffer zone, both above and below ground.
Southern Theater Expands
The evacuation orders follow repeated Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire, including a recent uptick in FPV drones with improvised explosives according to Israeli spokespeople, a number of which have exploded near Israeli troops, causing injuries and at least one casualty.
Citizens were told to evacuate Ghadouriyeh, Burj Qalaeiyeh, Qalawiyeh, El Sawana, El Jumayjmeh, Safad El Batikh, Barashit, Shaqra, Ayta El Jabal, Tibnin, El Sultaniyeh, Bir El Sanasil, Sounin, Khirbet Selm, Selaa, and Deir Kifa, and move to an area in the Sidon district designated in Israeli maps.
Also today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement on ‘X’, promising to eliminate the drone threat posed by Hezbollah.
Yesterday, Israel issued evacuation notices on seven towns north of the Litani river in the Nabatieh district, stressing that Hezbollah action was ongoing and that their actions were threatening the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel.
Hezbollah Infrastructure Degraded
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the destruction of a massive Hezbollah tunnel system under Qantara in southern Lebanon. Yesterday, the IDF announced that soldiers had dismantled an underground route in south Lebanon, and also located an underground shaft, missile and anti-tank positions and a number of explosive devices.
Inside the tunnels, Israeli spokespeople said “the forces discovered large quantities of weapons, living quarters and preparation areas, water tanks, and various equipment for extended stays.”
The tunnels, built over the period of a decade, were used solely for shelter by Hezbollah terrorists; in one tunnel, approximately 10 bedrooms containing beds used by Hezbollah terrorists were found. Vertical shafts were also discovered within the tunnels, connecting them to launch sites aimed at Israel, according to the spokespeople.
The 7th Brigade and the Yahalom Unit, under the command of the 36th Division, who found and deactivated the tunnel, are continuing operations in in the area—which sits at the edge of the Israeli forward defense zone near the Golan Heights—tasked with locating and destroying underground tunnel infrastructure.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported continuing strikes in the southern pocket of towns evacuated this morning with two strikes on Khirbet Selm and two strikes on Shaqra and Majdal Zoun. Later there were strikes reported in the Bint Jbeil district.
NNA also reported artillery shelling and a number of strikes in the Tyre district.
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