Israel Strikes Beirut, Orders Evacuation

Israel launched a series of strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, after issuing a blanket evacuation order for the densely populated area. This escalation follows recent attacks by Hezbollah on Israel, which were themselves a response to earlier attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran, triggering a new war in the Middle East. The conflict has already resulted in 123 deaths and displaced over 83,000 people in Lebanon. Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich warned that Beirut's southern suburbs would resemble Khan Younis, a city decimated in Gaza. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urgently contacted French President Emmanuel Macron, who called for an end to the conflict, urged Hezbollah to disarm, and announced aid to Lebanon. UN peacekeepers have confirmed ground combat in southern Lebanon, with Israeli forces moving across the border and Hezbollah announcing attacks on them.