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Israel announces security zone in southern Lebanon
Israeli forces will take control of a broad area in southern Lebanon stretching to the Litani River, approximately 30 kilometers from the border, as part of an offensive against Hezbollah, Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Tuesday.
Military objectives and infrastructure destruction
Katz revealed that five bridges, allegedly used by Hezbollah to transport fighters and weapons, have been destroyed. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are advancing into Lebanese territory to dismantle Hezbollah's operational bases and infrastructure, including residential buildings repurposed as militant outposts.
The minister cited the strategy employed in Gaza's Rafah and Beit Hanoun-areas heavily damaged by airstrikes and currently under Israeli control-as a model for the current operation.
Humanitarian and displacement crisis
Over 1,000 people have died in Lebanon since the escalation began, according to the Lebanese health ministry, including at least 118 children and 40 healthcare workers. More than a million residents have been displaced, raising concerns about a worsening humanitarian emergency.
Katz declared that displaced Lebanese civilians would not be permitted to return to areas south of the Litani River until northern Israel is deemed secure from Hezbollah attacks. He framed the policy as a direct consequence of continued militant activity: "There is terror and missiles, no homes and no residents-and the IDF is inside."
Political and historical context
Southern Lebanon is a stronghold of the Shia Muslim community and serves as Hezbollah's primary support base. The group was formed in the 1980s in response to Israel's occupation of Lebanon during the 15-year civil war.
While Lebanon's government has pledged to disarm Hezbollah, the organization has resisted discussions about relinquishing its weapons. Katz accused the Lebanese government of inaction, stating it had done "nothing" to address the threat.
"The Lebanese government's failure to act leaves us no choice but to create a defensive buffer to protect our citizens," Katz said during a briefing with defense officials.
International reactions
Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun condemned Israel's plans as "a policy of collective punishment against civilians." The escalation follows Hezbollah's rocket attacks on northern Israel, launched in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader and ongoing Israeli strikes on Lebanon despite a November 2024 ceasefire.
Israeli officials maintain that the operation aims to safeguard communities in northern Israel from Hezbollah's attacks.
