🇮🇱 Israel: Defense Minister Outlines Plan to Seize Southern Lebanon, Establish “Security Zone”
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced a plan to establish a full security zone inside southern Lebanon, extending control up to the Litani River and key infrastructure including remaining bridges.
The proposal includes preventing over 600,000 displaced Lebanese civilians from returning south of the Litani River, and demolishing villages near the border using a model similar to operations in Gaza. Katz stated the objective is to eliminate threats along Israel’s northern frontier permanently.
He also warned that Israel would respond to any cross-border fire from elsewhere in Lebanon and maintain a continuous military presence, similar to its posture in Syria and Gaza.
Critics argue the move would amount to full-scale occupation rather than defensive border security.