Israel says conducting strikes in Lebanon, issues evacuation orders
World
The Israeli military say they conducted the strikes due to Hezbollah's violations of the ceasefire agreement.
JERUSALEM (AFP) - The Israeli military on Thursday (Jan 15) said it conducted air strikes against Hezbollah targets shortly after issuing evacuation orders for the village of Sohmor in southern Lebanon.
"In response to Hezbollah's repeated violations of the ceasefire understandings, the (Israeli military) is striking Hezbollah terror targets in several areas in Lebanon", the military said in a statement.
Earlier Thursday, the army had warned residents of Sohmor to evacuate certain areas ahead of strikes against Hezbollah targets.
Shortly after the military announced having struck positions in Lebanon, its Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee warned of a second evacuation order, this time for the south Lebanon village of Machghara.
"The (Israeli military) will attack Hezbollah terrorist military infrastructure in the near future to address prohibited attempts to reconstruct its activities in the area", Adraee said on X.
The orders come a week after the Lebanese military said it had completed disarming Hezbollah south of the Litani River, the first phase of a nationwide plan, though Israel has called those efforts insufficient.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in response that the ceasefire "states clearly, Hezbollah must be fully disarmed".
Israel has kept up regular strikes in Lebanon despite a November 2024 ceasefire.
On Sunday, Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) reported "a series of violent Israeli strikes" on Jezzine, Mahmudiyeh and Al-Dimasqiyeh, as well as "more than 10 strikes" on Al-Bureij, all in southern Lebanon.
