Israel orders forced evacuation, bombs southern Lebanese town

Israel ordered the forced displacement of residents from the southern Lebanese town of Mansouri on Wednesday, followed less than an hour later by Israeli airstrikes that the military described as "precision attacks." The town lies within territory militarily occupied by Israel in Lebanon.

The Israeli military claimed civilians had moved to Mansouri "under the protection of the Lebanese Armed Forces" and established a checkpoint, violating an agreement. A notice from military spokeswoman Ella Waweya stated that Hezbollah's violation of the ceasefire compelled the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to act against the organization.

Israel had not issued evacuation orders for Lebanese towns since mid-June. The last reported attack from Lebanon on July 29 involved Hezbollah launching an explosive drone targeting an IDF engineering vehicle within Lebanese territory, which caused no injuries.

Mansouri is located in the southern Tyre governorate and is part of the "security zone," a term Israel uses for the 600 square kilometers its army occupies in southern Lebanon following the recent war with Hezbollah. These strikes occurred a day after the seventh round of U.S.-led negotiations began in Rome between Israel and Lebanon. The talks aim to advance the security framework signed in June and consolidate the withdrawal of Israeli troops, to be replaced by the Lebanese army.

Last Sunday, another Israeli attack injured five Lebanese soldiers as an army vehicle escorted residents in Kafra, located in the Nabatiyeh governorate.