The IDF initiated two major rounds of new airstrikes on Monday against Hezbollah, with the first round taking place around 6:30 a.m. before the second one started at around 11:00 a.m.
These waves of air strikes constituted the fifth and sixth round of massive air strikes on Hezbollah since Thursday of last week, especially in southern Lebanon, including further from the border than in some prior cases.
Between the two rounds of strikes at 8 a.m., IDF Chief Spokesman Daniel Hagari, for the first time, issued a broad warning to the general public in southern Lebanon in which he warned that if they have not already moved away from houses and other civilian buildings where they live and reside – but where Hezbollah has stored rockets or undertaken other actions – now they must leave those areas.
Among the attacks was a significant strike against Hezbollah deep into Lebanon in the Bekaa Valley.
Warning southern civilians
The IDF sent out text messages to the southern Lebanese citizens urging them to stay away from Hezbollah structures, Israeli media reported.
“If you are in a building containing Hezbollah weapons, move away immediately until further notice,” the text message sent to the civilians reportedly read.
According to a Reuters reporter, shortly afterward, residents in southern Lebanon also received calls from a Lebanese number ordering them to immediately distance themselves 1,000 meters from any Hezbollah post.
Hezbollah’s human shields
According to Ynet, ten years ago, Hezbollah launched a secret initiative to offer financial incentives to Shia households in southern Lebanon if they allocated a room of their house to a long range missile launcher. The missile, with a heavy warhead, would be ready to launch from that room. The room would have a removable roof, allowing it to be fired quickly.
Ynet added that Hezbollah specifically chose poor Shia families who needed extra income. Reportedly, Hezbollah purchased plots of land and constructed residential homes on them, offering them at a reduced price of for free if the families were willing to store missiles.
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