The Israeli army issued a warning on Wednesday, urging residents of two neighborhoods in Beirut’s southern suburbs to evacuate before anticipated strikes targeting Hezbollah facilities. This announcement came as Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s new leader, delivered a speech asserting the group’s readiness for combat.
“You are located near facilities and interests affiliated with Hezbollah, against which the Israel Defense Forces (military) will act in the near future,” stated Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee on social media platform X, accompanied by a map of the targeted areas.
Qassem’s speech coincided with the 40-day commemoration of his predecessor’s death in a previous strike. In his address, he underscored Hezbollah’s preparedness, declaring that the group had “tens of thousands of trained resistance combatants” ready for action against Israel. He emphasized that no area in Israel was “off-limits” to potential Hezbollah attacks.
The tense standoff comes amid a backdrop of ongoing hostilities and heightened military activity in the region, as both sides continue to posture. This latest development underscores the fragile nature of peace in Lebanon’s border region and the escalating rhetoric from both Hezbollah and Israeli officials.
