‘Urgent warning’: Israeli army orders evacuation near Syria–Lebanon crossing ahead of strikes
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Urgent warning’: Israeli army orders evacuation near Syria–Lebanon crossing ahead of strikes")
A collapsed building is pictured following Israeli bombardment on Abbasiyeh, near Tyre in southern Lebanon, on April 4, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
The development comes as Israel has ramped up its offensive against Iranian proxies in the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, since the start of the conflict with Iran on February 28.
The Israeli military on Saturday (April 4) said it intends to strike an area near the crossing between Syria and Lebanon and urged residents to evacuate immediately. The IDF issued an urgent warning on X: "ALL INDIVIDUALS PRESENT IN THE FACTORY CROSSING AREA ON THE SYRIAN-LEBANESE BORDER, AND TO ALL TRAVELERS ON THE M30 ROUTE," adding that "remaining in this area exposes you to danger."
"Due to Hezbollah's use of the Masnaa Crossing for military purposes and smuggling of combat equipment, the IDF intends to carry out strikes on the crossing in the near future," the military's Arabic-language spokesman, Colonel Avichay Adraee, said.
"For your safety, we urge everyone near the crossing and anyone in the area marked in red on the map to evacuate immediately," he added, sharing the marked map on X.
The development comes as Israel has ramped up its offensive against Iranian proxies in the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, since the start of the conflict with Iran on February 28.
By targeting the Masnaa Crossing, the primary artery connecting Damascus and Beirut, the IDF aims to cripple Hezbollah's ability to replenish its arsenal following weeks of intense aerial bombardment.
Israel has been fighting these groups since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a massive assault on southern Israel, marking the deadliest attack on the Jewish state since its founding in 1948.
The October 7 assault, launched by Hamas under "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood," resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of around 251 hostages. The attack triggered a massive Israeli military response in Gaza that has since expanded into a multi-front regional war. The conflict reached a new and more dangerous phase on February 28, when direct hostilities broke out between Israel, the United States and Iran, leading to coordinated strikes targeting top Iranian leadership and the country's strategic and nuclear infrastructure.
According to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, at least 1,345 people have lost their lives in Lebanon since Israel renewed widespread attacks following the start of the joint US-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran.
(Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.)
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