Israel orders evacuation of Lebanese city as conflict with Hezbollah escalates

AFP

The Israeli military has ordered the evacuation of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, after carrying out another wave of air strikes that it said targeted the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah.

The military told residents of Tyre and surrounding areas that it was "compelled to act forcefully" because Hezbollah was violating a US-brokered ceasefire that began five weeks ago.

Also on Wednesday, Lebanese media reported Israeli strikes across the south and eastern Bekaa Valley, with three people killed in the town of Choukine.

Hezbollah, which has itself accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire, said it was battling Israeli troops north of the Litani river, about 30km (19 miles) from the border.

It came a day after Israel's prime minister announced an expansion of ground operation following Hezbollah drone attacks on troops occupying part of southern Lebanon and on civilians in northern Israel.

The escalation threatens to derail talks aimed at ending the war between the US, Israel and Iran. Iran insists that any deal must also cover Lebanon, but Israel says it reserves the right to continue to fight the threat from Hezbollah.

Lebanon was drawn into the war on 2 March, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike that killed Iran's supreme leader. Israel responded with an air campaign across Lebanon and a ground invasion.

Both Israel and Hezbollah have continued to exchange fire during the ceasefire, which began on 16 April and has been extended twice since then.

At least 3,213 people have been killed in Lebanon since the start of the war, according to the country's health ministry - its figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

Israel says 23 of its soldiers and four Israeli civilians have been killed over the same period on both sides of the border.