Israel orders tens of thousands of Lebanese to flee their homes and head 60km north

The Israeli army ordered tens of thousands of Lebanese to flee their homes and head 60km away from the border region on Tuesday, hours after launching what it said was a ground invasion.

The Israeli military's Arabic spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, wrote on the social media platform X that the inhabitants of 26 towns had to immediately leave their homes and head north of the Awali River for their "own safety."

"[The Israeli army] does not want to harm you, and for your own safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately," Adraee said.

"Anyone who is near Hezbollah members, installations and combat equipment is putting his life in danger. Any home used by Hezbollah for its military needs is expected to be targeted," he added.