Beirut [Lebanon], June 10: Several people were killed in an Israeli attack on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese coastal city of Tyre on Tuesday despite an ongoing ceasefire agreement.
The Lebanese Health Ministry, citing preliminary figures, said eight people were killed in the strike and 32 wounded. The ministry said the death toll might rise further, with search and clearance operations ongoing.
Lebanese civil defence sources had previously put the number of dead at nine.
Shortly after the strike, the Israeli military issued an evacuation order covering the entire city, prompting fears of a wider offensive.
Lebanese security sources reported additional Israeli shelling in areas surrounding Tyre.
The Israeli military did initially not comment on the reports.
The Israeli military specifically urged residents and those sheltering in the city's Christian neighbourhoods to leave immediately. The Christian areas in south Lebanon were largely spared in previous attacks and became a refuge for displaced families fleeing other parts of the city in recent days. Israel has accused the Iran-backed Hezbollah of using civilian areas as cover for attacks, an allegation the group denies.
A Lebanese security source told dpa that "a belt of Israeli fire is surrounding the city of Tyre and the Palestinian camps around it," describing intense military pressure on the area.
An eyewitness told DPA: "People are in panic. Even Christian areas which had been spared so far are now under the warning, so people started to flee in panic towards the port city of Sidon."
The latest escalation has heightened concerns over the stability of the ceasefire and raised fears of further displacement in southern Lebanon. Israel and Lebanon reached an agreement on a new ceasefire plan last week, but its effectiveness remains in question. The terms include a halt to mutual attacks, Hezbollah's withdrawal beyond the Litani River, approximately 30 kilometres from the Israeli border, and the disarmament of Hezbollah.
Source: Qatar Tribune
