Hezbollah orders evacuation of Israeli settlers amid intensified conflict

Hezbollah, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, has issued a sweeping evacuation order for Israeli settlers in 25 northern settlements, following recent Israeli military actions that have forced numerous civilians to flee their homes in Lebanon.

The order, released on October 26 evening, comes amid escalating hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, with both sides intensifying their military strategies, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The evacuation directive is directed at settlements that Hezbollah has identified as military outposts for Israeli occupation forces. 

"You are requested to evacuate immediately. Your settlements have become a place of deployment and settlement for the enemy military forces attacking Lebanon. As a result, they have become legitimate military targets for the air and missile forces of the Islamic Resistance," the order states.

The settlements included in the evacuation order encompass Kiryat Shmona, Yesud HaMa'ala, Ayelet HaShahar, Hatzor HaGlilit, and several others, reaching as far as Nahariya and Kfar Vradim. This move follows a series of evacuation orders issued by Israeli forces for areas within Beirut's Southern Suburb, Southern Lebanon, and the Bekaa region. Recent reports indicate that Israeli forces have bombed civilian homes, justifying these actions by claiming they were harboring military equipment used by Hezbollah.

Hezbollah has responded by emphasizing the military nature of these Israeli settlements, stating that they have been transformed into operational bases from which attacks against Lebanon are launched.

In a previous warning issued on October 11, Hezbollah disclosed that Israeli military personnel had set up military points within residential areas of northern settlements, effectively converting homes into military installations.

Major cities in occupied Palestine, such as Haifa, Tabaraya, and Akka, are also reportedly home to military bases situated within civilian neighbourhoods, further aggravating the situation. Hezbollah has urged settlers to maintain a safe distance from these military facilities "for their own safety, until further notice," asserting that these locations are now considered legitimate targets for their missile and air forces.

Hezbollah’s recent declarations align with the organization’s commitment to keeping northern settlements empty of Israelis as long as hostilities continue against Gaza and Lebanon. Following an earlier warning on October 13, Hezbollah launched a drone strike targeting an Israeli military base linked to the Golani Brigade in Binyamina, south of Haifa, which had previously been unidentified by settlers.

By Khagan Isayev