Overview

• The Israeli military issued evacuation orders for residents near four sites in Beirut’s southern suburbs before carrying out airstrikes on what it described as underground drone production facilities linked to Hezbollah.
• Thursday’s raids, the fourth on Beirut since the November truce, sent thousands fleeing neighbourhoods including Al-Hadath, Haret Hreik and Burj al-Barajneh as plumes of smoke rose over the city.
• President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the strikes as flagrant violations of Lebanese sovereignty and the ceasefire just hours ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday.
• Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared there would be no stability without continued military action and pledged to maintain operations with “great force” until Hezbollah is disarmed.
• United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon and other international figures have urged restraint and the use of diplomatic channels to prevent further escalation.