Israeli Strike Kills Eight in Tyre as Evacuation Order Triggers Mass Exodus

Beirut/Tyre: At least eight people were killed and more than 30 injured in an Israeli airstrike on the southern Lebanese city of Tyre on Tuesday, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry, as Israel intensified its military campaign against Hezbollah despite mounting regional tensions.

The strike occurred shortly before the Israeli military issued a sweeping evacuation order covering the entire city, including its historic Christian quarter, and nearby neighbourhoods. Residents were instructed to move north of the Zahrani River, around 30 kilometres away, as Israel warned of further military operations in the area.

The evacuation notice triggered a large-scale movement of civilians. AFP correspondents reported heavy traffic leaving Tyre, while displaced families arrived in the coastal city of Sidon carrying belongings packed onto vehicles. The Christian quarter, which had largely avoided previous evacuation warnings during the conflict, was included in the latest order.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported Israeli strikes in more than a dozen locations across southern Lebanon on the same day. Rescue teams continued searching through rubble in Tyre after the attack, with officials warning the death toll could rise.

The escalation comes a day after Iran warned that it could resume attacks on Israel if Israeli forces continued operations in Lebanon. Tehran has insisted that any broader regional settlement must address the conflict in Lebanon, where Hezbollah has been engaged in hostilities with Israel since March following the Israel-US attack on Iran.

Despite repeated ceasefire announcements since April, fighting has persisted. Lebanese authorities say more than 3,600 people have been killed and over one million displaced since the conflict intensified earlier this year.