IDF shells border area with Lebanon; Germany, US issue highest alert, attempt to evacuate citizens

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued to fire artillery into Lebanon on the morning of October 15 after mortars and anti-tank missiles from Beirut were fired at a border town of the Jewish state.

Israeli tanks are positioned north of Tel Aviv near the border with Lebanon on October 15. (Source: AFP)

“After an anti-tank missile was fired towards the town of Shtula, we opened fire at the source of the fire… Currently, there are more anti-tank missiles being fired from the Lebanese side towards IDF positions in the border area. We are still attacking Lebanese territory,” an IDF spokesman said.

At noon the same day, the IDF imposed restrictions on people's access to an area about 4 km from the border with Lebanon and intermittently cut off GPS signals in this area as well as in the Gaza Strip front. On the social network X, formerly Twitter, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari said that cutting off GPS signals could affect navigation applications in the above areas.

In another related development, the IDF said on the same day that it will continue to open a humanitarian corridor for Palestinians from the northern Gaza Strip to move to the southern area from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. local time.

Earlier, Israel dropped leaflets demanding that more than 1.1 million residents in the northern Gaza Strip immediately move south of this blockaded land within 24 hours, ending at 5:00 a.m. this morning, before the IDF conducts a major military operation in this area.

Amid the tense fighting, on the same day, the German Government issued its highest warning level, calling on its citizens not to travel to Israel, the Palestinian territories or Lebanon due to the escalating violence following attacks by the Hamas Islamist movement on Israel last weekend.

In a statement, the German Foreign Ministry affirmed: “Due to the escalation of violence in the region related to large-scale terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas since October 7, we warn against travel to the above countries and regions.” The ministry also said it would make every effort to support citizens who want to leave Israeli or Palestinian territories.

Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Israel announced that the US will evacuate citizens from Israel to Cyprus by ship on October 16.

In a security alert on October 15, the US Embassy stated that in the context of signs of Israel launching an attack in the Gaza Strip, the ship will leave the Israeli port of Haifa for Limassol, carrying "US citizens and their immediate family members with valid travel documents".

Each passenger will be required to sign a waiver to reimburse the cost of the trip and will be allowed to bring only one suitcase. The US Embassy added that a number of charter flights will be arranged to depart from Cyprus for the connecting trip.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/xung-dot-israel-hamas-idf-na-phao-kich-khu-vuc-bien-gioi-voi-lebanon-duc-my-ra-canh-bao-cao-nhat-no-luc-so-tan-cong-dan-246199.html