Israel's military has warned residents in southern Lebanon to leave areas where Hezbollah may be operating, saying it is about to carry out "extensive, precise strikes against terror targets".
Israel carried out dozens of air strikes on southern Lebanon early on Monday.
Residents of different villages in southern Lebanon posted photos on social media of their home towns that were being struck. The state-run National News Agency also reported air strikes on different areas.
"We advise civilians from Lebanese villages located in and next to buildings and areas used by Hezbollah for military purposes, such as those used to store weapons, to immediately move out of harm's way for their own safety," Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said.
"Shortly, the IDF will engage in extensive, precise strikes, against terror targets which have been embedded widely throughout Lebanon."
He presented in a media briefing aerial video of what he described as Hezbollah operatives trying to launch cruise missiles from a civilian house in Lebanon, and the subsequent Israeli strike moments before it was launched.
"Hezbollah is endangering you. Endangering you and your families," Rear Admiral Hagari said.
Asked by reporters about a possible Israeli ground incursion into Lebanon, Rear Admiral Hagari said "we will do whatever is needed" in order to return evacuated residents of northern Israel to their homes safely.
Another IDF official said the strikes in southern Lebanon would not be a precursor for an Israeli ground invasion of the area.
"We are currently focusing on Israel's aerial campaign only," the official said.
The IDF said the evacuation order was specifically for people who were storing Hezbollah ammunitions, or weaponry, within civilian houses.
Israel says it recently thwarted Hezbollah plans to launch a cruise missile, with a 200-kilometre travelling range, from a civilian house in Lebanon.
"We are giving them an advance warning: Get out of the house," the official said.
"We are aiming only on the capabilities of the rockets, of the missiles, of the launchers.
"It is something that is very, very focused on the capabilities, and for degrading those capabilities."
The warning to flee has been distributed via Arab media outlets, across social media, and in messaging across Lebanon.
A text sent to residents of southern Lebanon reads: "If you are present in a building which contains weapons for Hezbollah, move away from the village until further notice."
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Monday he had spoken with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin about the IDF's latest strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
"[I] provided the Secretary with a situation assessment of Hezbollah threats and briefed him on IDF operations to degrade Hezbollah's ability to launch attacks against Israeli civilians," Mr Gallant wrote on X.
"We also discussed the wider regional situation and the threats posed by Iran and its proxies," he added.
Israel's air force carried out dozens of air strikes in southern Lebanon early on Monday, state media and the Israeli military said.
Residents of different villages in southern Lebanon posted photos on social media which they said showed their towns being struck.
The state-run National News Agency also reported air strikes in different areas.
Earlier 'unauthorised' warning
Last week allegedly unofficial flyers were dropped on a village in southern Lebanon urging residents to evacuate north "until the war was over."
They displayed a map of Lebanon divided — mostly along roadways — into numbered areas, in a similar way to the block map of Gaza.
The three areas closest to the border with the tip of Israel and the Golan Heights were highlighted in red, with arrows pointing about five kilometres north.
The village of Wazzani, where the flyers were seen, is inside the specified area labelled on the map, which is titled "to the residents of areas 1-3".
The attached message read: "To all residents and refugees in the area of Wata el Khiyam. Hezbollah is firing from your area. You must leave your homes immediately and head north of the Khiam area until four o'clock and not return to the area until the war is over. Those are remain in this area after this hour will be considered a terrorist element and their blood will be spilled. The Israel Defense Forces will do everything in its power in your area to make sure it is empty of residents."
The IDF claimed this release was "unauthorised", pinning the move on the commander of a local brigade.
It said the commander had gained access to templates and Arabic translations and managed to use some drones to drop the flyers over the villages, without official IDF permission.
Speaking to ABC News, a military spokesperson would not confirm if residents in the affected areas had been told the message was not an official IDF communique.
The UN peacekeeping mission on the border, UNIFIL, said it contacted the IDF and was told it was investigating.
"We reiterate that targeting civilians, for any reason, is a violation of international humanitarian law. Threats to civilians, by any actor, are unacceptable," said Kandice Ardiel, UNIFIL deputy spokesperson.
UNIFIL (the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon), is tasked with monitoring and preventing hostility along the Israel-Lebanon armistice line and de facto border.
ABC/wires
