Israeli forces killed at least eight people in air strikes on the southern Lebanese city of Tyre on Tuesday, shortly after issuing a displacement order that expanded to include parts of the city previously spared from evacuation notices. Get today's headlines by email The attack hit a densely populated residential area in the coastal city, according to Lebanon’s civil defence agency. The latest evacuation order covered Tyre’s Christian quarter, an area that had largely been excluded from earlier directives. Israel said Hezbollah fighters were operating in the area. Escalating attacks in southern LebanonThe strike was the latest in a series of attacks on Tyre. A day earlier, an Israeli strike near a Red Cross centre killed five people and wounded eight others, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. Among the injured were four paramedics, while the bombardment also reportedly damaged a UNESCO-listed heritage site. The renewed violence follows an exchange of fire between Israel and Iran, marking the most serious escalation since a ceasefire between the two countries took effect on April 8. The latest tensions were triggered by an Israeli strike on Beirut on Sunday. Despite the ceasefire between Iran and the United States, Israel has continued military operations in Lebanon, arguing that its campaign against Hezbollah is separate from the conflict involving Iran. Hezbollah reports attacks on Israeli forcesHezbollah said it carried out 16 operations against Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, including near the strategically important Beaufort Castle. The group claimed it destroyed two Israeli military bulldozers near Yohmor al-Shaqif and struck several Israeli troop positions. It also said it intercepted an Israeli drone over the Iqlim al-Tuffah area. Lebanon became directly involved in the wider regional conflict on March 2 when Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel, citing continued Israeli attacks and the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran warns of stronger responseIran warned on Monday that any continued aggression, including attacks in southern Lebanon, could provoke a far harsher response. The warning accompanied Tehran’s announcement that it would halt strikes on Israel following the recent exchange of fire. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz dismissed the threat, saying operations against Hezbollah would continue and warning that attacks on northern Israel would trigger strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs. He also rejected any attempt by Iran to link developments in Lebanon to the broader confrontation between Tehran and Israel. Humanitarian crisis deepensLebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Israel has carried out nearly 3,500 air strikes, more than 400 demolitions and six large-scale village razing operations since April 16. According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, the death toll from Israel’s offensive since March 2 has risen to 3,637, with 11,188 people wounded. More than one million people have been displaced, representing roughly one-fifth of Lebanon’s population. Salam’s office said government shelters in Beirut, Sidon and other regions have reached full capacity. The International Rescue Committee warned that humanitarian conditions are deteriorating rapidly, with 94 percent of displaced people struggling to meet basic needs. Many residents returning to southern Lebanon have found their homes, and in some cases entire villages, destroyed. Aid groups say a lasting ceasefire is needed to address mounting humanitarian needs and support recovery efforts. Join the discussion? Already a member? Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 9 June 2026
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