Israeli air strikes heavily targeted southern Lebanon overnight and into Thursday morning, hitting several areas near the city of Tyre after the Israeli military ordered residents to evacuate large parts of the region. According to the Israeli military, the attacks were aimed at Hezbollah infrastructure and fighters. The strikes came after Israel accused Hezbollah of repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreement that began in April. Videos shared on social media showed large explosions, fires and thick smoke covering parts of Tyre, one of Lebanon’s biggest cities. Some footage showed collapsed buildings, burning vehicles and frightened residents running through smoke-filled streets. The Israeli military had earlier warned civilians to move north of the Zahrani River, around 40 kilometres from the Israeli border, saying it planned to act with “extreme force”. Many residents fled during the night, while ambulance teams drove through neighbourhoods urging people to evacuate immediately because of fears of more attacks. Lebanese officials say the latest evacuation order is the largest since the ceasefire started, affecting hundreds of towns and villages across southern Lebanon. The growing displacement crisis is putting huge pressure on nearby cities. Shelters in Sidon are reportedly already full, leaving many families with nowhere to stay. Authorities in Tyre are now advising displaced residents to continue travelling north towards Beirut. Lebanon’s state-run news agency also reported that an Israeli drone strike hit a family trying to escape from one of the threatened villages, killing six people, including children. The humanitarian situation continues to worsen as thousands of civilians remain trapped between ongoing air strikes and limited access to safe shelter, food and medical care. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently announced an expansion of military operations against Hezbollah after attacks by the Iran-backed group on Israeli troops and northern Israeli communities. Hezbollah later claimed its fighters clashed directly with Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, while both sides continue accusing each other of violating the ceasefire agreement. The International Committee of the Red Cross warned that southern Lebanon is nearing a “perilous tipping point”, saying civilians are facing increasingly dangerous conditions. The conflict has already killed thousands of people in Lebanon since fighting escalated earlier this year. Large parts of southern Lebanon remain heavily damaged, and the latest attacks are increasing fears that the violence could spread further across the region.