2024-10-30 11:05:00
The Israeli military issued an evacuation call for the city of Baalbek and surrounding towns in eastern Lebanon on Wednesday in view of impending attacks. A military spokesman said via X (formerly Twitter) that residents were asked to get to safety. They should evacuate their houses immediately before the army uses force against positions of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia.
The army marked large parts of Baalbek and the neighboring towns of Duris and Ain Bordai on a map. Around 80,000 people live in Baalbek. In addition, many internally displaced people from southern Lebanon have sought refuge from Israeli attacks in Baalbek and the surrounding region. The area is considered a stronghold of the Shiite Hezbollah militia. Roman temple complexes in Baalbek are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Many residents left the affected areas in panic, as eyewitnesses reported to the dpa news agency. The Lebanese side also called on people to evacuate via loudspeakers from mosques in fear of impending attacks.
It was the first call of its kind in the area since the current war between Hezbollah and the Israeli military began in Lebanon. Israeli media spoke of an “extraordinary” evacuation request.
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