[47804] Escalation in Southern Lebanon: IDF orders residents to evacuate and strikes a series of targets

Escalation in Southern Lebanon: Evacuations and widespread strikes

This morning, May 3, 2026, Al Jazeera reported that the IDF issued an official evacuation order to the residents of 11 villages and towns in southern Lebanon, demanding they move a distance of 1,000 meters toward open areas. In a statement also quoted by Sputnik Arabic, it was claimed that the Israeli army is acting following what it defined as a "violation of the ceasefire agreement by Hezbollah."

At the same time, many media channels, including the Quds News Network, reported a widespread wave of IDF strikes. According to Al-Mayadeen channel, an airstrike was carried out on the town of Zoutar el-Charqiyeh, which was also hit by heavy artillery fire. Additional reports from the Quds News Network indicate targeted artillery strikes on the outskirts of the towns of Al-Mansouri, Al-Qulaylah, and the hills of Majdal Zoun.

Sources identified with the resistance, such as the "Rased Al-Adu" channel, stated that the towns of Froun and Al-Ghandouriyeh in the Bint Jbeil district were bombed, and damage was also reported in the area between Arab Salim and Houmin. The Lebanon News channel added that a point in the Jarjouh area was attacked and destroyed as part of a series of large-scale military operations.

On the Israeli domestic front, Lebanon News reported, based on media in Israel, that Netanyahu ordered the cancellation of religious celebrations at Mount Meron due to the tense security situation on the northern border. All reports from Palestinian and Lebanese sources emphasize the intensity of Israeli fire and characterize the actions as a significant escalation in the field.