Israel Orders Displacement of Residents in Several Lebanese Towns

The Israeli army issued a forced displacement order on May 8 to residents of several towns in southern Lebanon, directing them to leave their homes immediately. In a post on X, the army’s Arabic language spokesperson Avichay Adraee told residents in the towns of al-Namriyah, Tayr Filisiya, Hallusiyah, Upper Hallusiyah, Turah and Marakah that they must evacuate without delay.

The order applies to locations situated far from the border with Israel. A member of the Lebanese civil defence was killed in an Israeli air strike in southern Lebanon the same day. The group said the strike targeted a civil defence member from the Rashaya al-Fakhar center on the Rashaya-Kfarshouba road.

An Israeli drone attack also struck the road between Kfarchouba and Kfar Hamam. Despite a ceasefire currently in effect in Lebanon, fighting continues between Hezbollah and the Israeli army. Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon on Thursday killed at least 12 people.

The displacement order was issued even as diplomatic efforts continue on other fronts.

and Iran US President Donald

Trump said the ceasefire with Iran remains in effect despite American and Iranian forces trading fire in the Strait of Hormuz the previous night. Trump stated that Iran should sign an agreement quickly. Neither side has announced the collapse of the ceasefire.

The spokesperson of the Iranian Foreign Ministry said Iran is still reviewing the US proposal. Iranian officials described several US demands as unreasonable and said there is a huge gap between the positions of the two parties. Diplomatic and mediation efforts involving Pakistani mediators appear to remain under way.

UAE authorities activated air defence systems across the country and remained on high alert after blasts were heard off the Abu Dhabi coast. UAE-based Gulf Marine Services reported a 24 percent fall in first-quarter core profit to $19.5 million after evacuating four vessels from a GCC country in March as a precaution due to the conflict.

Crews returned to the vessels in early April. Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines said three of its vessels that transited the Strait of Hormuz in April did not pay any transit fees proposed by Tehran. The company does not intend to pay such fees in the future.

Two Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas carriers owned by an affiliated company have also crossed the strait since the closure. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said he has asked Singapore to support the repatriation of 11 Pakistani and 20 Iranian seafarers aboard vessels seized by US authorities that are nearing Singaporean waters.