Israeli air raids struck three neighborhoods in southern Beirut and fighting intensified across southern Lebanon as Hezbollah engaged Israeli forces, Lebanese state media and officials reported. The attacks and accompanying artillery fire occurred as Lebanon recorded more than one million people displaced since the latest hostilities began over two weeks ago.
Lebanon’s National News Agency said warplanes hit the Kafaat and Haret Hreik districts of Beirut and struck a residential building in Doha Aramoun. The health ministry reported an Ethiopian woman was wounded. Israel confirmed it carried out the strikes, saying the targets were linked to Hezbollah.
Al Jazeera’s Beirut correspondent said the Aramoun strike came without an evacuation order and appeared to be an attempted targeted killing that destroyed a single floor of the apartment block. Photos from the scene showed a man gathering belongings amid the wreckage in the southern suburbs.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry put the toll since fighting resumed at least 886 dead, including 67 women and 111 children, and 2,141 injured.
State media also reported Israeli strikes on a building in the village of Arab al-Jal and raids in Bint Jbeil and Qaqaiyat al-Jisr in the south. In Kfarchouba, authorities said Israeli forces seized a Lebanese man during a raid.
The Israeli military has issued broad evacuation orders across southern Lebanon, telling residents to leave designated target areas and directing those south of the Zahrani River to flee ahead of what it called a new operation against Hezbollah. Evacuation warnings have been extended more than 40km north of Israel’s border to the Litani River. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said displaced people would not be allowed to return south of the Litani until the safety of northern Israeli communities is assured.
On Monday Israel announced a “limited and targeted ground operation” against Hezbollah. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said the army intends to expand the operation until its objectives are met. Hezbollah said it was attacking Israeli forces along the border and in frontline towns, reporting direct clashes in Khiam opposite Metula; the group has repeatedly said since March 2 that it has struck Israeli forces and vehicles in Khiam.
Al Jazeera reporting from Ramallah noted Hezbollah has launched roughly 100 rockets into Israel daily, sometimes alongside Iranian salvos, driving hundreds of thousands of Israelis into shelters. Israel’s position on negotiations over southern Lebanon appeared divided: Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said there was no intention to continue talks, while other sources expected talks could begin in coming days. Some Israeli military figures have portrayed negotiations as a possible framework for a withdrawal from Lebanon.
Lebanese authorities said more than one million people have registered as displaced since March 2, with over 130,000 sheltering in about 600 collective centers.