Israel issues new displacement orders in southern Lebanon
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 3
Israel issues new displacement orders in southern Lebanon
13 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 3
The orders covered more than 10 towns, including three first-time targets in Nabatieh north of the Litani River, and told residents to move at least 1,000 metres away.
Lebanon's state news agency then reported Israeli strikes across the south, including in places not named in the warning, despite a US-brokered ceasefire in force since 17 April.
Israel says drone attacks killed two soldiers and a contractor in the past week, while Lebanon says Israeli attacks killed 10 people on Saturday and 2,659 since fighting escalated on 2 March.
Could Israel's threat to occupy and demolish southern Lebanon spark a wider war, or is it a negotiating tactic amid shifting regional power?
Are Hezbollah's new fibre-optic drones changing the balance of power along the Israel-Lebanon border, and can existing defenses adapt quickly enough?
With the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut, how close is the world to an energy crisis—and can Iran's proposal actually bring relief?
Over 820,000 Displaced as Israel Expands Evacuations Amid Hezbollah Drone Threat in Southern Lebanon
Overview
In early May 2026, Israel expanded evacuation orders across southern Lebanon to create a large buffer zone aimed at dismantling Hezbollah's military presence. This move, driven by a hardened security doctrine after the 2023 Hamas attack and escalating threats from Hezbollah's advanced fiber-optic drones, has displaced over 820,000 people and caused widespread destruction. Hezbollah's drones have inflicted significant damage on Israeli forces, prompting Israel to deploy new defenses like the Iron Beam laser system and call up reservists. Despite US-mediated ceasefire talks, ongoing violence and Hezbollah's refusal to disarm risk a full-scale war, deepening the humanitarian crisis and regional instability.