Israel extends evacuation zone near Lebanon border amid escalating clashes with Hezbollah

Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Israeli authorities said Friday they would begin evacuating 23,000 residents of a town near the border with Lebanon as cross-border clashes between Hezbollah militants and Israel Defense Forces intensified.

Activation of the National Emergency Authority plan to move people out of Kiryat Shmona to state-funded guest houses out of harm's way was announced early Friday after it was approved by Defense Minister Yoav Galant, IDF said in a post on X.

"The Northern Command informed the mayor of the decision a short time ago," the post said.

Kiryat Shmona was added to an evacuation list of 28 communities within 1.2 miles of the Lebanese border announced Monday, after Hezbollah fired anti-tank missiles across the border throughout Thursday injuring three people in the town.

The IDF said it responded with a number of strikes against Hezbollah infrastructure, including observation posts.

The defense ministry initially said the evacuation was mandatory but later backtracked saying it was voluntary, according to CNN.

Meanwhile, cross-border exchanges continued Friday with the IDF saying its fighter jets killed "three terrorists" in the early hours attempting to launch anti-tank missiles toward Israel under the cover of darkness while in a separate incident, the IDF said its snipers opened fire at gunmen who were identified near a different part of the border fence.

The skirmishes were followed later Friday by at least one report of militants opening fire on IDF soldiers operating near the settlement of Moshav Margaliot, the IDF reported.

"IDF forces are currently searching the area for suspects," IDF wrote on social media.

IDF spokesman Peter Lerner said Israel held the government of Lebanon accountable arguing that as a sovereign state it had "the responsibility to make sure the terrorists like Hezbollah" did not launch attacks against Israel.

Lerner told said that while the reservists will be focused on Gaza, the IDF has reinforced its forces along the northern border with Lebanon where Hezbollah has increasingly clashed with Israel's military over the last week.

Accusing Iran of guiding and encouraging Hezbollah, he said Tehran was working to divert Israel's focus on Hamas and warned Hezbollah to pay attention instead to the destruction being wrought on Hamas before provoking Israel further.