On June 13, local time, the Israeli military issued evacuation orders to residents of 20 villages in southern Lebanon before launching a large-scale airstrike against the Iran-aligned militant group Hezbollah.
The airstrikes resulted in casualties, including the mayor of the southern Lebanese town of Alihan. Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli forces attacked several areas, including Tyre, Jezzine, and Nabatiyeh, with churches also being targeted.
The Israeli military stated it struck over 70 Hezbollah facilities in southern Lebanon within the past 24 hours. In response, Hezbollah claimed to have attacked 19 Israeli military outposts, indicating ongoing clashes between the two sides.
These hostilities come as the U.S. and Iran are engaged in discussions about a ceasefire MOU that may encompass the Lebanon front. Iran has maintained that any agreement with the U.S. must include a ceasefire in Lebanon. Abbas Araghchi, Iran's foreign minister, emphasized in a recent state TV interview that the unsigned MOU would address solutions for all fronts, including the Lebanon conflict.
However, Israel has made it clear that it will not back down. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that the country would not withdraw from occupied territories in Lebanon, asserting that the Israeli military would respond to both immediate and distant threats.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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