A constructing severely broken by an in a single day Israeli strike is seen in Kfar Rumman, close to the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh, on September 14, 2024. | Picture credit score: AFP
Israel dropped leaflets on a village bordering Lebanon on Sunday (15 September 2024) urging residents to depart, state media mentioned, however Israel’s navy advised media {that a} brigade had taken the initiative with out approval.
It was the primary time the Israelis ordered residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate in 11 months of cross-border fireplace between Hezbollah and Israel over the Gaza battle, sparked by the Oct. 7 assault by Hezbollah ally Hamas on Israel.
“The Israeli enemy dropped leaflets on Wazzani calling on the inhabitants of the world and its environment to evacuate,” the official nationwide information company mentioned, referring to a village on the southern border.
Learn additionally: Lebanon’s well being ministry says three individuals killed in Israeli assault
Wazzani Mayor Ahmed al-Mohammed shared with the media a picture of the leaflets displaying a map of the area with areas marked for evacuation marked in pink.
The leaflet learn in Arabic: “To all residents and refugees dwelling within the camp space, Hezbollah is firing out of your area. You should instantly depart your houses and head north of Khiam area earlier than 16:00 (13:00 GMT). Don’t return to this space till the battle is over.”
He added: “Anybody current on this space after this time shall be thought-about a terrorist.”
Wazzani is an agricultural area the place Syrians are sometimes employed to work the land.
Requested concerning the incident, an Israeli navy spokeswoman mentioned the leaflets had been dropped by a drone in an space from which rockets had been fired in the direction of northern Israel.
“This was an initiative of Brigade 769, it was not accredited by the Northern Command. An investigation has been opened,” he added.
Within the Gaza Strip, Israeli planes periodically drop leaflets urging residents to evacuate earlier than an assault.
On Saturday (15 September 2024), Hezbollah’s second-in-command Naim Qassem warned that an all-out battle by Israel geared toward returning 100,000 displaced individuals to their houses in areas close to the Lebanese border would displace “lots of of 1000’s” extra Israelis.
On the Israeli facet, together with within the annexed Golan Heights, authorities have introduced the deaths of at the very least 24 troopers and 26 civilians.
Printed – September 15, 2024 06:56 pm IST
