Israel strikes southern Lebanon after ordering evacuations of nine villages
Thousands flee including from village hosting at least 2,500 displaced people, one day after Hezbollah rejects ceasefire
TL;DR
- Israel issued forced evacuation orders for nine villages in southern Lebanon before carrying out airstrikes.
- Thousands of residents fled their homes, with roads to Sidon choked with fleeing families.
- Hezbollah rejected a US-brokered ceasefire agreement, calling it tantamount to surrender.
- The Israeli military conducted airstrikes and artillery bombardments in various areas of south Lebanon.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered troops to deepen their invasion after capturing Beaufort Castle.
- Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated Lebanon cannot be a battleground for others.
- Hezbollah has not been a direct party to negotiations, with positions conveyed through Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
- Berri stated Hezbollah would withdraw from south of the Litani River only if Israeli troops withdrew and a ceasefire was unconditional.
- Israel currently occupies over 608 sq km of Lebanese territory.
- Israeli forces withdrew from the town of Dibbin, with Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers entering the town afterward.
- US President Donald Trump is invested in the negotiations, as Iran has linked Lebanon's ceasefire success to its own talks with Washington.
- Netanyahu stated he would not seek government approval for the ceasefire proposal unless Hezbollah agreed to its terms.
- Fighting began on March 2nd after Hezbollah rockets targeted Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader.