The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday released videos and photos as evidence, claiming Hezbollah is storing weapons in civilian homes, such as attics, across Lebanon. This came amidst ongoing airstrikes in Lebanon that have resulted in the deaths of at least 492 people, including 35 children. These strikes followed a public warning from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who urged Lebanese civilians to evacuate areas where Hezbollah has embedded its military infrastructure, including weapons and rockets aimed at Israel.
Netanyahu further emphasized that Hezbollah is using the Lebanese people as "human shields" by placing missiles and other military assets in residential areas. He urged civilians to heed the warnings and evacuate to avoid being caught in the strikes. The IDF announced it had struck over 1,300 Hezbollah targets, which included long-range rockets, cruise missiles, and other heavy armaments intended for attacks on Israel. This marked a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, as Israel continues to target Hezbollah positions in Lebanon while warning civilians to leave dangerous zones.
In addition, the IDF shared a detailed video on social media explaining how Hezbollah is exploiting civilian infrastructure to store weapons, further underscoring the human shield narrative.
The situation has sparked widespread evacuations on both sides, with Lebanese civilians fleeing southern cities like Sidon for safer areas, and Israelis in the northern regions, including Haifa, seeking shelter due to ongoing rocket fire. In response to these developments, U.S. President Joe Biden called for restraint and mentioned that efforts were being made to de-escalate the situation【7†source】【8†source】.
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