The Israeli military has ordered the evacuation of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, following a wave of air strikes targeting the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah. The military told residents it was "compelled to act forcefully" because Hezbollah was violating a US-brokered ceasefire that began five weeks ago.
The evacuation order came after an Israeli strike killed at least 15 people in Burj al-Shamali, near Tyre, on Wednesday. Lebanese media also reported Israeli strikes across the south and eastern Bekaa Valley, with three people killed in the town of Choukine. Hezbollah, which has also accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire, said it was battling Israeli troops north of the Litani river, about 30km from the border.
This escalation follows Israel's prime minister announcing an expansion of ground operations after Hezbollah drone attacks on Israeli troops and civilians. The conflict threatens to derail talks aimed at ending the war between the US, Israel, and Iran. Iran insists any deal must cover Lebanon, but Israel says it reserves the right to fight the threat from Hezbollah.
Lebanon was drawn into the war on 2 March, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for a strike that killed Iran's supreme leader. Israel responded with an air campaign and ground invasion. At least 3,213 people have been killed in Lebanon since the start of the war, according to the country's health ministry, while Israel reports 23 soldiers and four civilians killed.