The warnings to flee come suddenly: Texts pinging thousands of phones, automated calls from strange numbers, hard-to-read maps shared on social media by an Israeli military spokesperson.
Some maps cover broad swaths of Lebanon; others show specific buildings.
Sometimes there is no warning at all before strikes, which have continued despite a nominal ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.
The warnings cause a rush to collect children and older relatives, and leave families with agonising choices as they race for the blurry edges of the red-shaded maps.
Entire villages have emptied, with over a million people fleeing at the height of the fighting.
Unlike Israel, Lebanon has no air raid sirens or missile defences, and no designated bomb shelters.
Israel says the warnings aim to keep civilians out of harm’s way.
It says Hezbollah has positioned fighters, tunnels and weapons in civilian areas across southern Lebanon, from which it has launched hundreds of drones and missiles — without warning — into northern Israel.
International law experts say Israel’s warnings are inconsistent and often overly broad and open-ended.
They also come as Israel says it plans to occupy a 10 kilometre (6-mile) wide buffer zone along the border and prevent people from returning until the threat from Hezbollah has been eliminated.
The latest war erupted on March 2, when, after holding its fire since a 2024 truce, Hezbollah launched a surprise barrage of missiles into northern Israel in retaliation for the United States and Israel attacking Iran.
Israel has posted 132 online alerts since then — including seven covering over 50 towns in southern Lebanon since the ceasefire took effect on April 17.
Residents say the narrowly targeted warnings often come with short notice, causing chaos and confusion.
