Israel expands attacks in Lebanon, orders mass evacuation near Beirut

Israeli forces have expanded their military operations into Lebanon, carrying out airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut. The Israeli military also issued an order for more than 500,000 people in southern Lebanon to evacuate, warning them to "save their lives."

In response, Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group based in Lebanon, has ramped up its own assaults on Israel from Lebanese territory. The group's leader has vowed to continue fighting as the conflict escalates. Meanwhile, Iran has continued a series of strikes targeting Israel, with reports of blasts heard in Tehran and attacks on an Israeli airport and airbase claimed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The situation represents a significant expansion of hostilities beyond the Gaza conflict, opening a major second front between Israel and Hezbollah along the Lebanese border. The mass evacuation order suggests Israel is preparing for the possibility of a larger ground operation in southern Lebanon.