Israeli jets strike Lebanese capital after evacuation warning

ISTANBUL

An Israeli airstrike targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs in the early hours Monday, as Israel continued its attacks across Lebanon, local media reported.

The strike came shortly after Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued an urgent warning for residents to evacuate several neighborhoods in southern Beirut, including Haret Hreik, Ghobeiry, Laylaki, Haddad, Borj el-Barajneh, Tawhidat al-Ghadir and Shiyah, the Lebanese state news agency NNA reported.

No information was yet available about injuries or damage.

In a separate attack, Israeli warplanes struck the town of Baraachit in the Bint Jbeil district in southern Lebanon, killing one person and wounding another, NNA reported.

Israel has also pounded Lebanon with airstrikes and launched a ground offensive in the south since a cross-border attack by Hezbollah on March 2.

Lebanese authorities said that 1,142 have since been killed and 3,315 others wounded in the Israeli assault.