Cars loaded with mattresses, luggage, household items and pets clogged the coastal highway, with many families heading towards Saida and other areas further north. The evacuation reflects mounting concern over the security situation in one of Lebanon’s largest southern cities, where recent strikes have already caused deaths, injuries and significant damage.
The movement of civilians comes as regional tensions continue to rise after renewed exchanges of fire involving Israel, Hezbollah and Iran. Religious leaders in Tyre’s historic Christian quarter called for urgent international action after Israeli warnings expanded to areas previously spared from bombardment. According to Lebanese authorities, the latest conflict has killed around 3,500 people and displaced more than 1.2 million across the country.
Tyre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984 and one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, has suffered extensive destruction in recent weeks, prompting many residents to leave despite uncertainty about where they will find shelter.