Less than 7 hours after the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel came into effect, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump at midnight on Thursday, April 16, following “excellent” talks with President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which “the parties agreed to begin a 10-day ceasefire (...)”, as announced by Trump, the ground realities contradicted the Israeli commitment to the agreement, which was breached by the adversary shortly thereafter.

When the ceasefire began, Israeli Army spokesman Avichay Adraee wrote on “X” in an “urgent message to the residents of southern Lebanon” that “the Israeli army continues to position itself in its sites south of Lebanon against the ongoing activities by Hezbollah, and in the interest of your safety and the safety of your family members — until further notice — you are requested not to move south of the Litani River.”

However, it did not stop there, as Adraee issued a series of warnings covering dozens of Lebanese towns, calling for evacuations and instructing residents to move at least 1,000 meters away. These warnings were followed by strikes on several areas and the targeting of remaining inhabitants.

On Monday, Adraee directed the latest warnings to the towns of Nabatieh Al-Fawqa and Mayfadoun (Nabatieh District), Qlayaa and Burj Qlayaa (Bint Jbeil), Majadel (Marjayoun), and Srifa (Tyre). On the same day, additional threats were issued to the towns of Qana, Baal, Srifa (Tyre), and Qaaqaiyat Al-Jisr (Nabatieh).

On May 3, the occupation army issued a threat to the residents of 11 southern towns, namely: Al-Duwair, Arabsalim, Al-Sharqia, Jebchit, Braikeh, and Qaaqaiyat Al-Jisr, along with Qsaibe and Kfarsir (Nabatieh), Baraachit (Bint Jbeil), Srifa, and Dounin (Tyre).

Twenty-four hours prior, threats targeted the towns of Qaaqaiyat Al-Jisr, Adchit, Al-Shaqif, Jebchit, Ebba, Kfarjoz, Harouf, Al-Doueir, Deir Al-Zahrani, and Hboush (Nabatieh).

Before this, warnings were given to the residents of Kfarjoz, Houmin Al-Fawqa, Toul (Nabatieh), Maaroub, Hmairi (Tyre), and Kfar Dounine (Bint Jbeil), although Dounin was also listed.

Warnings had also previously included several towns in the Tyre District:

Al-Samaaiya, Al-Hanniye, Al-Qlailah, Wadi Jilou, Majdal Zoun, Al-Knaissah, Seddiqin, in addition to Kafra (Bint Jbeil).

Most of the Bint Jbeil towns outside the "Yellow Line" were also threatened:

Al-Ghandouriyeh, Burj Qalaouiyah, Qalaouiyah, Al-Sawwanah, Al-Jumayjimah, Safad Al-Batikh, Baraachit, Shaqra, Aaita Al-Jabal, Tebnine, Al-Sultaniyah, Bir El-Sanasel, Kfar Dounin, Kherbet Selem, Selaa, and Deir Kifa (Tyre). 

The broadest threat came three days after the ceasefire, when the Israeli army instructed residents of dozens of towns (around 70 in total) not to move south of the following village boundaries in the districts of Bint Jbeil, Tyre, Nabatieh, Marjeyoun, Hasbaya, and surrounding areas:

Mazraat Byout es-Siyad, Majdal Zoun, Zibqin, Yater, Serbine, Haddatha, Bayt Yahoun, Shaqra, Majdal Selm, Qabrikha, Froun, Zawtar al-Gharbiyah, Yohmor Al-Shaqif, Arnoun, Deir Mimas, Marjeyoun, Ebel El-Saqi, Marjayoun, Kfarchouba, Ain Qenya, and Ain Aata.

It also reminded "the prohibition of approaching the area of the Litani River and Wadi Al-Salhani and Al-Saluki."

The towns warned against returning to were:

Al-Bayada, Shama, Tayr Harfa, Abu Shash, Al-Jbin, Naqoura, Zahajra, El Matmoura, Yarine, Al-Jbin, Oum Touteh, Zalloutieh, Boustan, Chihine, Marwahin, Ramyeh, Beit Lif, Al-Salhana, Aita Al-Shaab, Hanine, Al-Tiri, Rchaf, Yaroun, Maroun Al-Ras, Bint Jbeil, Ainata, Kounin, Aitroun, Blida, Mhaibib, Mais Al-Jabal, Qalaat Debba, Houla, Markaba, Talloussah, Bani Hayyan, Rab el Thalathine, Adaisset Marjeyoun, Kfar Kila, Al-Taybeh, Deir Siryan, Al-Qantra, Aalman, Adchit Al-Qasir, Al-Qasir, Maissat, Labbouneh, Iskandarona, Chamaa, Al-Jumayjimah, Yarine, Khirbet El-Ksif, Deir Siryan, Al-Khiyam, Saleeb, Mazraat Sarada, and Al-Majidiyah.

As a result of these warnings and threats, the towns were largely emptied of their inhabitants, leaving only rescue and civil defense teams to extinguish fires and remove debris after the raids, and to rescue paramedics, who were and continue to be targeted in Israeli attacks despite repeated appeals to prevent Tel Aviv from striking them.