Reports from Lebanon on Monday morning indicate that, following the revelation of Hezbollah's tactic of hiding heavy missiles in civilian homes and buildings, Israel is intensifying efforts to clear such structures of weapons. T
his involves sending warnings to Lebanese citizens, even in Beirut, by taking over radio frequencies. Concurrently, the IDF announced a new wave of strikes in southern Lebanon, targeting rocket launchers and launch sites, after a significant attack penetrated deeper into Lebanon earlier in the day.
Beirut today
A broadcast on Lebanese radio stations issued an urgent warning: "This is an important message for Lebanon's residents. The IDF is targeting Hezbollah's military sites. If you are in or near a building used by Hezbollah, you must evacuate immediately. Being near Hezbollah operatives or facilities poses a life-threatening risk."
According to the Lebanese National News Agency, Lebanon's Minister of Information, Ziad al-Makari, also received a call urging him to leave the building he was in. IDF Arabic spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Avichay Adraee, conveyed a message to the Lebanese people, indicating that "strikes will commence shortly" and urging residents to "immediately evacuate homes where Hezbollah hides weapons. Hezbollah is deceiving you and putting your lives at risk."
Earlier, a security source informed Ynet that, in the coming hours, the military plans an "extensive" assault across Lebanon's rural areas. "By early afternoon, the Air Force will launch massive strikes throughout Lebanon," the source stated, warning that Hezbollah's response might include expanding their firing range, potentially targeting "selected sites in Tel Aviv."
IDF reported that, since the morning, over 300 targets in Lebanon have been attacked from the air using dozens of fighter jets. The military launched another wave of attacks in the early afternoon.
In a morning assessment of home front readiness, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated: "In this new phase of the war, the resilience of the home front is crucial for enabling the IDF to fight, achieve successes, and inflict damage on the enemy. This has impressively continued for nearly a year." He emphasized that "in the coming days, the public will need to demonstrate composure, discipline and full adherence to the Home Front Command's instructions."
Ahead of the anticipated offensive, Gallant noted, "We are intensifying our strikes in Lebanon. Our sequence of actions will continue until we achieve our objectives – returning the residents of the north safely to their homes. This success also depends on the proper conduct of the home front. Therefore, we are coordinating activities extensively. The difference between success and failure lies in citizens following the guidelines to enter protected rooms and spaces, which saves lives."
Following Home Front Command's assessment, new instructions were issued to residents of southern Hula Valley. The advisory said that "Movements in the area should be minimized, gatherings avoided, and residents should stay close to protected spaces and heed alerts from Home Front Command."
A message sent to residents of the Upper Galilee Regional Council stated: "We remind you to maintain heightened vigilance in all council communities during these tense days. The relative calm can be misleading. IDF is striking intensively in Lebanon and, from experience, we know Hezbollah doesn't remain idle. Therefore, educational systems remain closed, and gathering restrictions (in all council communities) are set to 10 people in open areas and 100 in concrete-roofed buildings. It is recommended that you stay attuned to guidelines and updates."