Image: from Vivid. X @VividProwess
By Open Chronicle Staff with Agencies | March 5, 2026
NABATIEH, Lebanon — The Israeli Air Force (IAF) launched a massive new wave of airstrikes across southern Lebanon on Thursday, targeting several towns and cities as the military issued an urgent ultimatum for residents to evacuate. In a significant escalation of the regional conflict, the Israeli military has warned all civilians south of the Litani River, including those in the major cities of Tyre and Bint Jbeil, to move north immediately.
The strikes, reported by Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), focused on the Marjayoun and Nabatieh districts. Specific raids hit the towns of Deir Seryan, Adaisseh, Tallousa, and Touline. In Nabatieh, fighter jets struck the University’s neighborhood and the towns of Jibchit and Nabatieh al Fawqa, while artillery fire was reported in the Jezzine area.
Forced Displacement and the “Security Zone”
The Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, posted the warning on X, stating that the military would begin “acting forcefully” against Hezbollah assets in the area.
“Anyone located near Hezbollah members, facilities, or combat equipment puts their life at risk,” Adraee warned. The evacuation order has reignited fears of a permanent Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon. For months, far-right political circles in Israel have advocated for the establishment of a “security zone” south of the Litani River to prevent rocket fire into northern Israel.
A Breakdown of the Week’s Violence
The latest raids come after a catastrophic week for Lebanon:
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Monday’s Escalation: Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets and drones at northern Israel in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
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The Response: Israel launched an immediate counter-offensive, which Lebanese health officials say has killed at least 72 people and injured nearly 450 others in just 72 hours.
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Ground Incursion: Israeli ground forces have already begun operations across the border, further complicating the humanitarian crisis.
Ceasefire in Ruins
The current hostilities represent a total collapse of the November 2024 ceasefire agreement. Since September 2024, when Israel escalated the conflict into a full-scale war, more than 4,000 people have been killed in Lebanon and 17,000 wounded.
As tens of thousands of families clog the roads heading north toward Beirut and the Bekaa Valley, international aid organizations warn that Lebanon’s infrastructure—already crippled by years of economic crisis—is on the brink of a total humanitarian collapse.