Israeli jets strike southern Lebanon towns, escalating near-daily attacks

Israeli jets struck several towns in southern Lebanon on Thursday after urging residents to leave, marking an escalation in their near-daily strikes on the country.

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THROUGH RISING Israeli jets strike southern Lebanon towns, escalating near-daily attacks

(AP Photo)

The airstrikes came hours after militant group Hezbollah urged the Lebanese government not to enter negotiations with Israel.

Israeli Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee warned residents in Tayba near the border, Teir Debba located just east of the coastal city of Tyre, and Aita al-Jabal in southern Lebanon, to flee 500 meters (about 1,600 feet) away from residential buildings they are targeting, which they say have been used by Hezbollah. It later issued more warnings for the towns of Zawtar al-Shargiyah and Kfar Dounin.

The Israeli military said it targeted military infrastructure for Hezbollah in those areas, including “weapons storage facilities... constructed in the center of civilian-populated areas.”