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"Smoke was seen rising over the Nabatieh Governorate in southern Lebanon on Thursday, as Israel has intensified its strikes on southern Lebanon. Footage shows plumes of smoke rising over Nabatieh and surrounding villages following the raids. The attacks came after the Israeli army issued evacuation orders for residents of Haboush, Kfour, Sahmar, Ain Qana, Nabatieh al-Tahta, and Kfar Rumman, instructing them to leave their homes and move north of the Zahrani River, without specifying when they could return. In response, Hezbollah said in a series of statements that it targeted gatherings of Israeli soldiers and military vehicles in Al-Bayada, Shama, Zoutar al-Sharqiya, and Yahmur al-Shaqif with artillery shells and rocket barrages. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said in a post on X on Thursday that nothing justifies the continued attacks on the Tyre and Nabatieh regions, stressing that striking civilian areas and historical landmarks goes beyond military escalation and directly impacts daily life and civilians. He added that repeated evacuation warnings forcing residents to abandon their homes and livelihoods amount to “collective punishment” in violation of international law. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji is conducting intensive diplomatic efforts aimed at halting Israeli attacks on the historic city of Tyre in southern Lebanon. IDF spokesperson Effie Defrin said in a statement that "the IDF Chief of Staff instructed us to intensify the strikes and deepen the blows against Hezbollah." On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered strikes to be increased against Hezbollah, despite an ongoing US-brokered ceasefire. Israel and Lebanon are in a 45-day ceasefire extension that was agreed upon in mid-May 2026. According to figures released by the Lebanese Ministry of Health on Wednesday, 3,269 people have been killed and 9,840 others wounded since military tensions escalated on March 2."
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