Israel launches new offensive in southern Lebanon amid evacuation orders

Sun Sep 06 2026 07:44:38 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Israel responds to alleged Hezbollah ceasefire breaches with airstrikes, forcing residents of Mansouri to flee while a fragile ceasefire framework remains in question.

Israel has intensified strikes on southern Lebanon, claiming Hezbollah has violated the ceasefire. A man was killed and several injured when a prayer hall roof was hit in Tibnin, and the town of Mansouri received its first evacuation notice since mid‑June. Lebanese officials report displaced families returning under the Lebanese army’s control, but Israeli forces maintain a 10‑km security zone. Meanwhile, the United Nations notes a decline in displaced people, though a large number still remain in shelters. The conflict, still marked by civilian casualties, rocks the region’s fragile peace.

Israel launches new offensive in southern Lebanon amid evacuation orders

Israel has intensified strikes on the southern Lebanese border, citing alleged Hezbollah violations of a 2026 ceasefire. A single fatality and twelve injuries were reported when a prayer hall roof collapsed in the town of Tibnin, while the city of Mansouri was issued its first evacuation order in more than a month.

The Lebanese defence ministry confirmed the death and injuries; Israeli officials say the attack was in response to a “blatant violation of the ceasefire” by the Iran‑backed paramilitary group. Hezbollah has remained silent on the incident, which comes as Israeli and Lebanese officials attend US‑sponsored talks in Rome to uphold the ceasefire.

The trilateral framework, agreed in late June, envisaged a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied southern Lebanon in exchange for the disarmament of Hezbollah. The Lebanese army has only recently begun operating in pilot zones, such as after Israeli troops pulled from Zawtar al‑Gharbiyeh. Hezbollah rejects the framework, arguing the terms cross “red lines.”

Israeli media report that displaced residents of Mansouri have returned under the oversight of the Lebanese army, which has set up a checkpoint. The town lies within Israel’s 10‑km security zone—a strip that has sparked widespread criticism for threatening civilian safety.

Civilian displacement and UN data

According to the UN’s humanitarian office, more than 820,000 Lebanese displaced by the Israel‑Hezbollah conflict are now returning to their homes amid reduced hostilities. Nevertheless, about 360,000 remain displaced, with 26,000 housed in government shelters.

Historical context

The current conflict traces back to March 2026, when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in retaliation for a strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader. Israel responded by launching a bombing campaign across Lebanon and breaching a sizeable portion of the south.

Since the ceasefire, Lebanese health officials have recorded 353 deaths, with 4,333 casualties overall in the conflict—including 392 women and 253 children. Israeli casualties tally at 38 soldiers and four civilians killed across the border.

Smoke rises above southern Lebanon, as seen from the Israeli side of the border

Image: Reuters

Further coverage of the conflict, including detailed analysis of the military withdrawal pilot zones and the impact on local communities, is available through our partner reports in the metaverse news portal.