Israeli strike closes off road used by thousands to flee Lebanon

Hamieh said the strike hit inside Lebanese territory near the border crossing, creating a four-metre (12 feet) wide crater.
An Israel Defence Forces (IDF) military spokesman had accused Hizbollah on Thursday of using the crossing to transport military equipment into Lebanon. “The IDF will not allow the smuggling of these weapons and will not hesitate to act if forced to do so, as it has done throughout this war,” IDF spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi landed in Lebanon’s capital on Friday, official media said.
  Lebanese citizen Ali Zeineddine, third from left, waits with family for his brother arriving from Lebanon at Sao Paulo International airport, after an Israeli air strike killed various members of their family. 
“An Iranian plane has landed at the Rafik Hariri International Airport with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on board,” the Lebanese National News Agency said of the first visit by a top Iranian official since an Israeli strike killed Hizbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut last week
According to Lebanese government statistics, more than 300,000 people – a vast majority of them Syrian – had crossed from Lebanon into Syria over the last 10 days to escape escalating Israeli bombardment.
Inhabitants of 20 towns ordered to evacuate rightaway
The Israeli military on Friday told the residents of over 20 more southern towns in Lebanon to evacuate immediately, spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X as Israel pressed ahead with its incursions in the region.
The escalating fighting between Hizbollah and Israel has raised fears that the United States and Iran will be sucked into the Middle East conflict raging on several fronts.
  A Syrian girl fleeing the war in Lebanon with family arrives at the Syrian-Lebanese border crossing in Jousieh, Syria. AP
Nations worldwide have prepared contingency plans to evacuate citizens from Lebanon after a dramatic escalation in the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese armed movement Hezbollah.
Although no country has launched a large-scale military evacuation yet, some are chartering aircraft. People are also fleeing on their own.
US President Joe Biden said he did not believe there is going to be an “all-out war” in the Middle East, as Israel weighs options for retaliation after Tehran’s largest ever assault on its arch-enemy.
However, Biden said more needed to be done to avoid a Middle East war, as Israel’s military hit Beirut with new air strikes in its battle against Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
Asked by reporters in Washington on Thursday how confident he was that such a war could be averted, Biden said, “How confident are you it’s not going to rain? Look, I don’t believe there is going to be an all-out war. I think we can avoid it.
“But there is a lot to do yet, a lot to do yet.”
 Caption Residents inspect the destruction following Israeli airstrikes on the Mreijeh neighbourhood in Beirut on Friday. AFP
While the United States, the European Union, and other allies have called for an immediate 21-day ceasefire in the Israel-Lebanon conflict, Biden said the US was discussing with Israel its options for responding to Tehran’s assault, which included Israel striking Iran’s oil facilities.
Nothing going to happen today, says Biden
Biden’s comments contributed to a surge in global oil prices, and rising Middle East tension has made traders worry about potential supply disruptions.