The Israeli military said the Masnaa crossing was being used by Hezbollah for transferring combat equipment, and warned that strikes on the site were imminent. Military spokesman Avichay Adraee called on residents and travelers to leave the area immediately.

A Lebanese security source confirmed that the crossing was being evacuated following the warning. On the Syrian side, the crossing known as Jdeidet Yabous was described by border authorities as strictly civilian, with officials denying any military use and announcing a temporary suspension of traffic for safety reasons.

The Masnaa crossing is Lebanon’s primary land route to Syria and a key corridor for trade and civilian movement. Israel previously struck the crossing in October 2024 during earlier hostilities with Hezbollah, forcing its closure until repairs were completed after a ceasefire.

The warning comes amid intensified Israeli operations across Lebanon since March 2, when Hezbollah joined the broader regional conflict alongside its ally Iran. Israeli forces have since conducted widespread airstrikes and ground operations in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s health ministry said an Israeli strike on Maaraka near the southern city of Tyre killed five people and wounded one. Earlier strikes in Habbush killed two girls and wounded 22 others, while an attack on Al-Hawsh injured 18 people and damaged a nearby hospital, according to official statements.

Despite evacuation warnings covering much of southern Lebanon, tens of thousands of residents have fled Tyre, though about 20,000 people remain, including many displaced from surrounding villages.Lebanese state media reported additional Israeli strikes across the country, including on infrastructure in the West Bekaa region, where a bridge was destroyed after repeated attacks.

The Israeli military said it had struck more than 140 Hezbollah targets over the previous two days.Hezbollah said it carried out retaliatory attacks on northern Israeli towns and Israeli forces near the border, including in Marun Al-Ras and other southern Lebanese locations.

The conflict has displaced more than one million people in Lebanon and killed over 1,400, including medical personnel and UN peacekeepers, according to Lebanese authorities. A United Nations security official said Israeli forces also destroyed surveillance cameras linked to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon headquarters in Naqura.

The peacekeeping mission has been caught in escalating cross-border hostilities, as Israeli forces push deeper into southern Lebanon and Hezbollah continues attacks into northern Israel.

ElBaradei, who led the International Atomic Energy Agency from 1997 to 2009, made the appeal in a post on X, urging regional governments to act before the situation deteriorates further. “Do everything in your power before this madman turns the region into a ball of fire,” he wrote, referring to Trump’s recent threats against Tehran.

In a separate post, ElBaradei questioned whether international actors could halt the escalation, tagging the United Nations, the European Union, as well as Emmanuel Macron, and the foreign ministries of China and Russia.

Trump has warned that Iran must either reach an agreement with Washington or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route that has been effectively blocked since the outbreak of war following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran on February 28. In a post on Truth Social, Trump reiterated that Iran faces a 48-hour deadline or risk severe military consequences.

The remarks come amid intensifying hostilities in the region, with ongoing strikes and countermeasures raising concerns over broader instability and disruption to global energy supplies.

ElBaradei, an Egyptian diplomat and former vice president, led the IAEA during the early years of international scrutiny over Iran’s nuclear program. He and the agency were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005 for efforts to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Qassem said proposals to negotiate “under fire” were unacceptable, describing them as an imposed capitulation rather than a pathway to de-escalation. He criticized the Lebanese president’s push for direct engagement with Israel, which he said remains an adversary occupying Lebanese land and conducting ongoing attacks.

The Hezbollah chief framed the timing of the proposed talks as coercive, arguing that dialogue cannot take place under active military pressure. His remarks underscore deep divisions within Lebanon’s political leadership over how to respond to the escalating conflict and external threats.

Qassem also called on the Lebanese government to reverse its March 2 decision banning Hezbollah’s military activities, presenting the move as necessary for safeguarding national interests during a period of heightened regional instability.

Appealing to the public, Qassem urged Lebanese citizens to rally around “national unity,” linking internal cohesion to the country’s ability to withstand external pressures.

He said unity would require political alignment on the role of Hezbollah’s armed wing in Lebanon’s defense posture.

His comments come as displacement rises across the country, with makeshift encampments expanding in Beirut and other areas amid continued cross-border hostilities and airstrikes.