Israel orders full evacuation of Nabatieh

The Israeli military ordered the full evacuation of the city of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, ahead of strikes targeting Hezbollah. 

Residents were instructed to move "north of the Zahrani River," according to a post on X by Arabic-language military spokesman Avichay Adraee.

It is the first time Israel has issued an evacuation order covering the entirety of Nabatiyeh, a significant escalation signal.

Nabatieh is one of southern Lebanon's major urban centres, located approximately 60 kilometres south of Beirut and around 40 kilometres from the Israeli border. 

The capital of the Nabatieh governorate, it is home to around 100,000 residents and serves as a key economic, administrative and commercial hub for the region. 

Predominantly Shia and long considered a traditional Hezbollah stronghold, the city has been targeted in previous Israeli conflicts, most notably during the 2006 war.

Tuesday's order to evacuate the entire city marks a new threshold in Israel's military campaign in southern Lebanon.