Residents fled southern Lebanon on Sunday after the Israeli military issued new forced evacuation orders and carried out multiple airstrikes across the region, officials and witnesses said.
The escalation came as civilians attempted to return home following a fragile ceasefire. A local village leader said the community had been about 75% repopulated before the latest warning forced mass evacuation.
“People had come back to repair their homes and reopen businesses,” the leader said. “When the warning came, everyone got into their cars with whatever they could carry.”
He said traffic built up quickly at a main roundabout as residents tried to flee, creating congestion that later became the site of an Israeli strike.
Local reports said Israeli forces hit a coffee stand at the junction, killing at least one person and injuring several others. Emergency officials said additional strikes followed in the same area.
Hospitals and rescue teams across southern Lebanon reported receiving multiple casualties, while authorities confirmed ongoing airstrikes in surrounding towns.
Witnesses said dozens of strikes were recorded across the south as residents continued to evacuate under chaotic conditions.
Emergency workers warned that casualty figures could rise as operations continue.
The Israeli military has not yet commented on the specific strike at the roundabout.
