Israel orders Tyre residents to evacuate ancient Lebanese city

Tyre, Lebanon is now under attack by Israeli forces trying to destroy Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

ZOUK MOSBEH, Lebanon — Residents of the ancient and embattled city of Tyre were being forced Tuesday to choose between two bitter options: stay and risk getting killed by Israeli airstrikes, or leave and become refugees in their own country.

Subscribe to read this story ad-free

Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.

And for the first time since Israel launched its latest invasion of southern Lebanon to root out Hezbollah, the Israeli evacuation order also includes Al Hara, the historic Christian quarter of this more than 4,700-year-old city.

“I never imagined leaving Al Hara,” Janette Barbour, a married mother of three grown children, told NBC News. “It is a safe area. We are not armed.”