BEIRUT/OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israel carried out heavy airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut overnight after ordering its residents to leave, while the Iran-backed group warned Israelis to ​leave towns and villages at the frontier. Explosions and flashes lit up the ‌night sky over the Beirut southern suburbs, Reuters footage showed. The Israeli military said it had carried out 26 waves of strikes overnight in the southern suburbs, saying targets included Hezbollah’s command ​centres and weapons storage facilities. On Thursday, an Israeli military spokesperson told residents ​of the southern suburbs to move east and north, posting a ⁠map showing four large districts of the capital he said they must leave, including ​areas adjacent to Beirut airport. US probe suggests American forces likely behind strike on Iran girls’ school, sources say Hezbollah, in a message published in Hebrew on its Telegram ​channel early on Friday, warned Israelis to leave towns within 5 km (3 miles) of the border. “Your military’s aggression against Lebanese sovereignty and safe citizens, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the expulsion campaign ​it is carrying out will not go unchallenged,” Hezbollah said. Israel orders Lebanese to leave swathe of the south ‘immediately’ During fighting between Hezbollah ​and Israel in 2024, tens of thousands of Israelis were evacuated from towns in the border area ‌but ⁠many have since returned. Israeli officials have previously said there are no plans to remove them for now. Lebanon was pulled into the war in the Middle East on Monday, when Hezbollah opened fire, igniting a new Israeli offensive, with airstrikes focused on ​Beirut’s southern suburbs and ​on southern and ⁠eastern Lebanon. Israel, US carry out attacks on Iran; Tehran launches retaliatory strikes on regional bases Israel has also ordered Lebanese to leave large areas of southern and eastern Lebanon. Pentagon chief to hold first press conference on Iran The Lebanese health ministry has reported 123 ​people have been killed and another 683 wounded as a result ​of Israeli ⁠attacks this week. Its figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. There have been no reported fatalities in Israel as a result of Hezbollah attacks. Hezbollah, a Shi’ite Muslim group ⁠established ​by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in 1982, was badly weakened ​by Israel during the 2024 war.