Israel Plans Large Buffer Zone in Southern Lebanon, Defense Minister Says

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that Israel could maintain control of a large swath of southern Lebanon even after the fighting winds down, backing plans for a long-term security zone along the border. He framed the move as creating a defensive space and keeping the threat away, suggesting troops may remain in parts of Lebanon after hostilities end.

In the latest escalation, Israeli forces reportedly blew up five bridges on the Litani River, about 30 kilometers from the border, to disrupt Hezbollah's movement and weapons routes. The region would be organized under a security zone, with displaced residents barred from returning until northern Israel is deemed safe. Katz described the plan as part of the broader campaign against Hezbollah, which has intensified amid ongoing hostilities that followed rocket attacks into northern Israel.

The fighting has exacted a heavy toll in Lebanon. The health ministry has tallied more than 1,072 deaths, including at least 121 children and 42 health workers, and more than a million people have been displaced, deepening a humanitarian crisis in the country. Israeli officials say the aim of the zone is to shield communities in northern Israel from Hezbollah attacks, and some residents had already begun returning after a ceasefire, having been unable to go home for more than a year and a half.

The move comes within a broader regional cycle of retaliation and escalation, with Hezbollah’s strikes and Israeli responses shaping a volatile security landscape. While officials emphasize protection for Israeli communities, the potential consequences for Lebanon’s civilian population and for regional stability remain the subject of intense scrutiny as the situation develops.

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