Beirut, March 3 (SANA) The Lebanese army redeployed to several locations along the southern border on Tuesday as Israeli forces pushed into parts of southern Lebanon amid escalating cross-border hostilities.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that the army redeployed from some advanced border positions near occupied Palestine and repositioned its units in other areas as Israeli forces entered a number of towns and sites in the south.
The developments came as Israeli officials said their forces had carried out a ground incursion into southern Lebanon and launched multiple air raids across the south, the Bekaa Valley and Beirut’s southern suburbs.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ordered the immediate evacuation of all non-essential, non-Lebanese civilian staff and their families as a precautionary measure due to the rapidly deteriorating security situation in southern Lebanon.
The redeployment followed hours of intense Israeli airstrikes targeting several southern towns. Lebanese authorities reported dozens of deaths and injuries in the latest wave of attacks.
The escalation began after Hezbollah militia fired rockets and drones at Israeli positions early Monday. Israel responded with extensive airstrikes on southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese government has formally banned Hezbollah’s military and security activities and moved to restrict the group to political work, obligating it to hand over its weapons to the state.
R.A