Israel is conducting a combined ground and aerial military campaign in South Lebanon aimed at establishing a buffer zone extending to the Litani River. Defense Minister Israel Katz has detailed plans to destroy border infrastructure and prevent the return of more than 600,000 residents to the region, mirroring strategies previously implemented in the Gaza Strip.
The offensive includes drone and missile strikes targeting Beirut and the Dahiyeh district, alongside ground incursions in the south. While these actions follow a 2024 ceasefire, residents south of the Litani River report that the state of conflict has remained continuous. Following the northward movement of Hizballah from the Litani area, local populations have remained without support from the Lebanese national army, leaving them exposed to grenade attacks, drone strikes, and aerial bombings over the last 18 months.
Impact on Civilian Infrastructure
Reports from the ground describe a pattern of systemic destruction and occupation. In the south and within Dahiyeh, families have documented the loss of homes and the vandalism of private property. Evidence includes the use of lewd graffiti and the accumulation of waste within abandoned residences, signaling a transition from active combat to a de facto occupation of the territory.
The humanitarian situation is further complicated by the inability of families to conduct traditional burial rites. Many residents have been forced to bury their dead in isolation due to the security risks posed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the ongoing volatility of the front lines.
Regional Strategic Context
The escalation in South Lebanon is occurring parallel to a broader conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. The strategic objective of the current Israeli operation is the creation of a security perimeter that effectively removes the presence of armed groups from the border region. This move follows a period of instability where southern villages attempted to maintain normalcy in the immediate wake of the fall 2024 ceasefire, only to be drawn back into active warfare.
The current military posture in the south reflects a long-term Israeli design on the region, intertwined with the internal political dynamics of Lebanon which have left the southern border largely undefended by state institutions.
The Israeli military continues to enforce the exclusion zone, while the Lebanese government has yet to establish a formal mechanism for the return of displaced civilians to the areas south of the Litani River.
