Avichay Adraee

The IDF's Arabic language spokesperson warned that the IDF will soon strike what it believes is Hezbollah infrastructure, instructing civilians to evacuate the adjacent area.

The IDF confirmed an explosion in southern Lebanon was caused by a Hezbollah smuggling operation, not an Israeli airstrike, as Lebanese reports suggested earlier on Thursday.

Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF's Arabic-language spokesperson for nearly 20 years, is set to retire, with discussions underway to find his successor.

Adraee joined the IDF Spokesperson's Unit in 2005, following time served in the Intelligence Directorate's Unit 8200.

IDF Northern Command Chief Maj.-Gen. Rafi Milo on Thursday told regional northern leaders, "we know we need to be determined to attack, to strike, and to destroy in order to keep Hezbollah weak."

The IDF issued evacuation warnings earlier for those located in the Gaza Port area and the southern al-Rimal neighborhood.

Earlier, IDF Spokesperson in Arabic Avichay Adraee issued another evacuation order for Gaza City residents to move southward. According to him, more than 250,000 Gazans have already left the city.

IDF Arabic Spokesperson Avichay Adraee ordered civilians to evacuate a section of Gaza City, advising them to move southwards towards humanitarian zones in Khan Yunis and Al-Mawasi.

While “residents of the sector were forced to break their Ramadan fast with the scraps left by Hamas, the organization’s leaders were celebrating in the tunnels with a grand feast,” Adraee said.

Adraee: Every family moving to southern Gaza will receive generous humanitarian aid • 'Vast empty areas' in southern Gaza

“Not a single bullet was fired,” Adraee wrote, “The civilians began welcoming and cheering for our soldiers, as if they saw in them life after darkness.”