IDF orders mass evacuation of Beirut southern suburbs — 700,000 people told to flee Dahiyeh

The Israeli Defence Forces issued an unprecedented mass evacuation order for the entire Dahiyeh district — Hezbollah's stronghold in Beirut's southern suburbs — on Thursday afternoon, telling up to 700,000 residents to flee immediately. The order was issued by IDF Arabic-language spokesman Waweya, who said residents must leave 'to save their lives.' Al Jazeera correspondent Bernard Smith reporting from Beirut described roads in the capital as jammed with fleeing residents. The evacuation order breaks from previous IDF practice, which has targeted specific buildings for strike warnings. The scope — covering the entire Dahiyeh area — marks an escalation in the Lebanon front. Israeli aircraft have already struck locations near Beirut's southern suburbs multiple times since Day 1, and ground operations in southern Lebanon have been ongoing since March 4. Lebanese caretaker government and UNIFIL issued urgent statements. At least 52 Lebanese civilians have been killed since Monday.