BEIRUT, March 5 – Israeli military officials directed civilians to evacuate Hezbollah-controlled neighborhoods in southern Beirut on Thursday, creating widespread panic as thousands fled the densely populated areas during the fourth day of intense fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group.
Through a social media post, an Israeli military representative instructed people living in the southern districts to move toward the east and north, sharing a detailed map of four large neighborhoods that must be cleared. Some of these areas sit close to Beirut’s main airport.
“Save your lives, evacuate your homes immediately,” wrote Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee in his warning message, adding that traveling southward could put residents in grave danger.
Television broadcasts captured scenes of congested roadways as civilians escaped both in vehicles and on foot from the targeted neighborhoods. Warning shots echoed through the southern districts, alerting remaining residents to leave immediately.
The conflict expanded to include Lebanon this Monday after Hezbollah launched attacks, prompting Israel to respond with concentrated air campaigns targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut, along with areas in southern and eastern Lebanon.
A day earlier on Wednesday, Israeli forces had instructed residents across roughly 8% of southern Lebanon’s territory to abandon their homes.
The combination of Israeli strikes and evacuation directives has displaced tens of thousands of Lebanese citizens from both the southern suburbs and southern regions this week. Lebanese health officials report 77 deaths so far.
No Israeli casualties have been documented from Hezbollah’s attacks during this period.
The southern suburbs of Beirut house predominantly Shi’ite Muslim communities and rank among the capital’s most crowded residential zones. These same neighborhoods suffered extensive damage from Israeli bombardment during conflicts with Hezbollah in both 2024 and 2006.
