The Israel Defense Forces is launching a targeted effort to encourage Lebanese non-combatants to move away from the combat zone for their own safety.
IDF Arabic language spokesperson Avichay Adraee warned the Lebanese in multiple video messages posted to the X social media platform that Israel will intensify its attacks on places where Hezbollah weapons are stored, and that it is time to move to a safer area.
“Urgent warning to the residents of the villages of the Bekaa region in Lebanon,” Adraee wrote.
⭕️ Hezbollah operations force the IDF to act against terrorist infrastructure in your villages.
⭕️ The IDF is not interested in harming you. If you are inside or near a house containing Hezbollah weapons – you must leave it and move away from it within two hours to a distance of no less than 1,000 meters outside the village, or go to the central school near you and do not return to it until further notice.
⭕️ Anyone who is near Hezbollah elements, facilities, and weapons is putting his life and the lives of his family members at risk.”
“A call to the residents of the Lebanese villages in the Bekaa region: Residents who are near or inside buildings and houses in which missiles and weapons are stored – move away from them immediately. This is a specific warning to the villages in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. Residents who are near or inside homes where missiles and weapons are stored – move away immediately for your own safety. You are watching our operations in the southern Lebanon area where Hezbollah is preparing to fire its weapons at Israel and we will not allow that. Move away from these homes for your own safety. Hezbollah is lying to you and putting you in danger,” Adraee wrote in a second message Monday shortly after 1 pm.
#عاجل ‼️ سكان القرى اللبنانية: الغارات ستبدأ على المدى الزمني الوشيك – اخلوا البيوت التي اخبئ فيها #حزب_الله الأسلحة فورًا! حزب الله يكذب عليكم ويضحي فيكم. حزب الله يقول إنكم بيئته وأنكم جمهوره لكن يبدو أن صواريخه ومسيراته أغلى وأهم بالنسبة له منكم. pic.twitter.com/mzw3oEjB9y
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) September 23, 2024
“Residents of Lebanese villages: The raids will begin in the near future; evacuate the houses where Hezbollah weapons are hidden immediately! Hezbollah is lying to you and sacrificing you. Hezbollah says that you are its environment and that you are its audience, but it seems that its missiles and drones are more valuable and important to it than you,” Adraee wrote and said at around 11 am.
#عاجل نداء هام وعاجل إلى اللبنانيين!
تعرفون البيوت الكثيرة في القرى اللبنانية مع غرفة مغلقة ومجهولة. بعضها مخزن للأسلحة، أخفاها عناصر حزب الله الذي يستخدمكم دروعًا بشرية.
إنتبهوا! واحذروا! فعلى كل من يمتلك سلاحًا في منزله، أو يتواجد قرب مواقع أو منازل أخفى فيها حزب الله أسلحته… pic.twitter.com/U75h7eGJwa— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) September 23, 2024
“An important and urgent appeal to the Lebanese! You know the many houses in Lebanese villages with a closed and unknown room. Some of them are weapons stores, hidden by Hezbollah members who are using you as human shields. Pay attention! And beware! Anyone who has a weapon in his home, or is near sites or houses where Hezbollah has hidden its weapons, must leave the place immediately..” Adraee wrote in a separate post.
#عاجل أدعو سكان القرى في لبنان الذين يعيشون داخل أو بالقرب من المباني والبيوت التي يخفي فيها حزب الله أسلحته إلى إخلائها فورًا حفاظًا على سلامتهم. هذا نداء عاجل. pic.twitter.com/J48rCceB0W
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) September 23, 2024
And a third, similar warning: “I call on the residents of villages in Lebanon who live inside or near buildings and houses where Hezbollah hides its weapons to evacuate them immediately for their own safety. This is an urgent appeal.”
In addition to Arabic-language posts on social media, the IDF made more than 80,000 phone calls and sent texts to local residents, urging them to leave for their own safety.
A Reuters journalist living in southern Lebanon who received a call said local residents received calls Monday warning them to “immediately” distance themselves at least half a kilometer (1,000 meters) from any position used by Hezbollah. The calls were made to locations as far north as Beirut.
The IDF also reportedly instructed the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to move its personnel north of the Litani River, including evacuating its positions in southern Lebanon.
IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a televised statement on Monday morning that warnings were being “distributed in Arabic on all networks and platforms in Lebanon … Hezbollah is endangering you. Endangering you and your families,” he said.
The IDF struck hundreds of Hezbollah targets before midday Monday following the warnings. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that at least 100 people were killed, Reuters reported.
IDF Chief of General Staff LTG Herzi Halevi approved the wave of airstrikes that hit more than 300 Hezbollah positions in Lebanon.
“The past week has been the most difficult in the history of Hezbollah’s existence. We will continue defending the State of Israel,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in a statement published by his office.
The Commanding Officer of the Northern Command, MG Ori Gordin, also held a situational assessment Monday morning in the Northern Command’s Underground Operations Center with the commanders of the Fire Control Center Situation Room.
In recent months, the Fire Control Center of the Northern Command has been leading strike efforts in the northern arena. The strikes are conducted in full cooperation and synchronization with the Intelligence Directorate and the Israeli Air Force.
