Israel issues evacuation warning for seven Lebanese towns beyond 'buffer zone'

Israel's military issued new evacuation orders for southern Lebanon on Sunday, ordering residents to leave seven towns that lie beyond the "buffer zone" it occupied before a ​ceasefire that has failed to bring a full halt to hostilities.

A spokesperson for the Israeli ‌military said in a statement on X that Lebanese armed group Hezbollah was violating the ceasefire and that Israel would act against it, telling people to head north and west away from the towns.

The towns are north of the Litani River ​and the zone in southern Lebanon occupied by Israeli troops, who have continued military operations despite the ​ceasefire.

"From our perspective, what obliges us is the security of Israel, the security of ⁠our soldiers, the security of our communities," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting ​in Jerusalem.

"We act vigorously according to the rules we agreed upon with the United States, and also, by the ​way, with Lebanon."

Hezbollah said it would not cease its attacks on Israeli troops inside Lebanon and on towns in northern Israel as long as Israel continued its "ceasefire violations."

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The Iran-backed group added in a statement that it would not wait for diplomacy ​that has "proven ineffective" or rely on Lebanese authorities that had "failed to protect the country."

The Israeli military said ​it had intercepted three drones before they crossed into Israeli territory, after sirens sounded in northern Israel.

Earlier on Sunday, Hezbollah ‌said it ⁠had attacked Israeli troops inside Lebanon as well as the rescue force that came to evacuate them.

The US-mediated ceasefire, which started on April 16 and has been extended to mid-May, has brought a significant reduction in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, though both sides have continued to fire at each other, trading blame over ​breaches.

More than 2,500 people have ​been killed in Israeli ⁠strikes since the most recent war between Hezbollah and Israel began on March 2, days after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran.

The toll includes 274 women, ​177 children and 100 medics, according to the most recent figures released earlier ​this month ⁠by Lebanon's health ministry.

The ministry does not otherwise distinguish between militants and civilians, and Hezbollah has not announced a total toll of its fighters. The group has buried dozens of fighters in group funerals in recent days.

Hezbollah attacks ⁠have killed ​two civilians in Israel while 15 Israeli soldiers have died ​in Lebanon since March 2, Israel says.