Less than a day after the escalation with Iran following the Israeli strike in Beirut’s Dahieh district, IDF troops from the 36th Division continued operations Tuesday in the area of Tyre in southern Lebanon and nearby villages, as well as around the Beaufort Ridge and Nabatieh. At the same time, a massive explosion was heard near Kibbutz Manara in the Galilee Panhandle, apparently caused by IDF strikes across the border.
The IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, Col. Avichay Adraee, earlier issued an evacuation warning to residents of the southern Lebanese city. According to Reuters, the warning included the city’s Christian quarter for the first time.
Footage from Israel: Massive explosion heard from Lebanon
(Video: Nativ Ohana)
The strikes in Tyre
Destruction in Lebanon’s al-Masaken area
Even before the warning, around 8 a.m., Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese network Al Mayadeen reported that Israeli fighter jets had launched a series of strikes on the al-Rabieh area along the al-Abbasiyah road in the Tyre district. About 90 minutes later, Lebanese media said the strikes were continuing.
A reporter for the Qatari network Al Araby, broadcasting from the Christian quarter, said many cars were seen leaving the neighborhood.
“Families here do not know where they are going,” he said. “Some are staying in the neighborhood because they think it will remain safe. We see cars loaded with belongings leaving. The road is starting to fill up. They are leaving and taking what they can. There is a significant flight. We will wait and see what happens in the coming hours. This kind of waiting could lead to a violent wave of strikes.”
Meanwhile, the Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar reported Tuesday morning that “with the understanding to halt attacks between Iran and Israel taking effect, Israel intensified its strikes against villages in southern Lebanon.”
The paper said Israeli operations included “bulldozing, destruction and displacement,” adding that the goal appeared clear: “to send a message to Tehran and the international community that the areas south of the Litani and Zahrani rivers are outside the bounds of any possible regional arrangement, and that the Israeli ground incursion is continuing regardless of any agreements.”
Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said Tehran would “use diplomacy and our defense capabilities to ensure the rights of our people.”
“Iran and Lebanon are not fighting on behalf of one another,” she said. “Iran and Lebanon have a common enemy that wants to destroy Lebanon and dismantle and weaken Iran.”
Strikes continue in Gaza
Meanwhile, the IDF released footage Tuesday of recent strikes in the Gaza Strip. One video showed a strike on what the military said was Hamas’ main naval police headquarters in the Khan Younis area, which was targeted Sunday.
The IDF said the headquarters was used to advance and carry out terrorist activity against Israeli forces and the State of Israel. It also said Ismail al-Laham, a cell commander in Hamas’ military wing, was killed in the strike along with several other terrorists.
Footage of the strike on the terrorists and warehouse in Khan Younis
(Video: IDF)
“The naval police in the Gaza Strip operates under Hamas’ military wing and works to advance, direct and carry out terrorist activity against IDF troops and the State of Israel,” the military said. “At the headquarters that was struck, Hamas was attempting to rebuild and strengthen its capabilities in violation of the cease-fire agreement, while exploiting infrastructure presented as civilian.”
The IDF added that during the past week it struck and destroyed three Hamas weapons depots in southern Gaza that were intended for use against Israeli forces.
Before the strikes, and after advance warnings were issued to civilians, the IDF said it identified several terrorists from Hamas’ military wing attempting to smuggle weapons out of the warehouses in vehicles. The military then struck the terrorists and the weapons. Secondary explosions were observed after the depots were hit.
“IDF forces in the Southern Command are deployed in the area in accordance with the agreement and will continue to act to remove any immediate threat,” the military said.