BEIRUT — The Israeli army issued evacuation orders on Saturday to residents of several buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, urging them to leave ahead of anticipated airstrikes.

Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued an “urgent warning” on X, specifically targeting residents in a building located in the Haret Hreik neighborhood. The warning included two maps indicating the buildings the army intended to strike.

The army claimed these buildings were situated near facilities associated with Hezbollah and were likely to be targeted soon. Residents were advised to “immediately evacuate the buildings and move at least 500 meters away.”

In two separate statements, the Israeli army reiterated the need for immediate evacuation of two additional buildings, one in Burj al-Barajneh and the other in Choueifat, marking the third warning issued within an hour.

As cross-border hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah continue since the onset of the Gaza war in October last year, Israel has intensified its military operations in Lebanon. This escalation has resulted in the deaths of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and several other commanders.

The extensive airstrikes, followed by a ground invasion, have claimed more than 1,500 lives and displaced approximately 1.3 million people. — Agencies