Headlines
Israel orders residents to leave southern beirut
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 5, 2026
4 min readLast updated: March 5, 2026
Quick Summary
Israel ordered residents of Beirut’s Hezbollah‑controlled southern suburbs to evacuate east and north immediately amid expanding hostilities, triggering mass panic and flight under bombardment.
Israel orders people to leave swathe of Beirut
By Maya Gebeily, Maayan Lubell and Jana Choukeir
Escalation and Evacuation Orders in Beirut
Israel's Warning to Beirut Residents
BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, March 5 (Reuters) - Israel warned residents to leave Beirut's southern suburbs, including Hezbollah-controlled areas, on Thursday, prompting an exodus from a swathe of the capital, which a far-right Israeli minister said would soon resemble parts of Gaza.
Suggesting a major escalation looms in Israel's offensive against the Iran-backed Hezbollah, an Israeli military spokesperson told residents of the southern suburbs to move east and north, posting a map showing four large districts of the capital he said they must leave.
Lebanon was pulled into the war in the Middle East on Monday, when Hezbollah opened fire, sparking Israeli airstrikes focused on the southern suburbs, and on southern and eastern Lebanon.
Official Statements and Warnings
"Save your lives, evacuate your homes immediately," the military spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, posted on X, saying that any movement southwards may endanger their lives.
Roads out of the suburbs were clogged as people fled by car and on foot, television footage showed. Gunfire was heard in the southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, warning residents to leave.
Israeli Government Response
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich posted a video on X from near the Lebanon border, in which he said that Dahiyeh would soon resemble parts of Gaza, where Israel's two-year military campaign against Hezbollah's ally Hamas has left much of the territory in ruins.
"You wanted to bring hell on us but you have brought hell upon yourselves. The Dahiyeh will look like Khan Younis. Our northern residents will soon live in quiet, peace and security," said Smotrich, who sits on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet.
The area highlighted in the Israeli military map includes neighbourhoods controlled by Hezbollah but also spreads into adjoining ones.
Impact on Civilians and Infrastructure
Displacement and Humanitarian Situation
People Flee to Central Beirut
PEOPLE FLEE TO CENTRAL BEIRUT
While Israel has previously ordered people to leave buildings in Dahiyeh, it is the first time it has instructed residents of the entire area to leave.
Hundreds of displaced people gathered in downtown Beirut near the sea. Many, including women and children, could be seen wearing backpacks. A car drove past with mattresses and blankets strapped to the roof, a Reuters reporter said.
On Wednesday, the Israeli military ordered residents to leave an area of southern Lebanon amounting to about 8% of its territory.
Flight Cancellations and Communication Tactics
NEARLY ALL FLIGHTS CANCELLED
Nearly all outgoing and incoming flights to Beirut airport, which is adjacent to the zone identified by the Israeli military, were cancelled for both Thursday evening and Friday.
Some residents of Beirut's southern suburbs told Reuters they had received calls from European numbers playing a recorded message from someone identifying themselves as a member of the Israeli military and telling them to leave their homes.
Background and Ongoing Conflict
Beirut's predominantly Shi'ite Muslim southern suburbs are among the capital's most densely populated areas. The area was pounded by Israeli airstrikes during a war with Hezbollah in 2024, and during a previous war with Israel in 2006.
Israeli bombardment and warnings have already forced tens of thousands of Lebanese to flee homes in the southern suburbs and the south this week.
Casualties and International Response
Reported Deaths and Injuries
The Lebanese health ministry said 102 people have been killed in Israeli attacks. Its figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. UNICEF, the U.N. children's agency, said on Wednesday that seven children had been killed.
There have been no reports of fatalities in Israel as a result of Hezbollah attacks.
Reporting and Editorial Credits
(Reporting by Jana Choukeir and Tala Ramadan in Dubai, Maya Gebeily in Beirut, Steven Scheer in Jerusalem; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Philippa Fletche, Sharon Singleton and Andrei Khalip)
Key Takeaways
- •Israeli military issued evacuation order via social media urging residents to “save your lives” amid risk of airstrikes in southern Beirut suburbs (apnews.com)
- •Tensions have escalated since Hezbollah opened fire Monday, drawing intensified Israeli airstrikes across Beirut suburbs and southern Lebanon; Lebanese health ministry reports dozens killed so far (apnews.com)
- •This marks further expansion of the conflict, which began Monday, now including evacuation warnings and bombardment of Beirut’s densely populated southern suburbs – raising fears of civilian displacement and deteriorating humanitarian situation (apnews.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Israel orders residents to leave southern Beirut
1Why did Israel order residents to leave southern Beirut?
Israel ordered residents to evacuate due to intensifying hostilities with Hezbollah and increased airstrikes in the area.
2Which areas did Israel tell people to evacuate?
Residents of the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut, near the airport and four key districts, were told to leave.
3How have residents responded to the evacuation order?
People fled the area in panic, with roads out of the southern suburbs clogged with cars and many leaving on foot.
4What has been the impact on civilian casualties in Lebanon?
The Lebanese health ministry reported 77 people killed since the hostilities began.
5Has there been any reported fatalities in Israel due to Hezbollah attacks?
No fatalities have been reported in Israel as a result of Hezbollah attacks.
