2 months ago
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Israel’s subject volition inhabit confederate Lebanon up to the Litani River, defence curate Israel Katz said connected Tuesday, the archetypal clip Israel has intelligibly spelled retired its intent to prehend swathes of territory that marque up astir a tenth of Lebanon.
Mr. Katz has antecedently threatened Lebanon’s authorities it would suffer territory if it did not disarm Hezbollah, the militant radical backed by Tehran that drew Lebanon into the U.S.-Israeli warfare connected Iran erstwhile it fired into Israel connected March 2.
On Tuesday (March 24, 2026), Mr. Katz said successful a gathering with the subject main of staff that the subject would “control the remaining bridges and the information portion up to the Litani”, and was creating a “defensive buffer”.
Iran-Israel war updates connected March 24, 2026
The Litani River meets the Mediterranean astir 30 km (20 miles) north of the Israeli borderline with Lebanon.
The subject has destroyed 5 bridges implicit the stream since March 13 and has accelerated the demolition of homes successful Lebanese villages adjacent to the Israeli borderline arsenic portion of a run that Israel says is aimed astatine Hezbollah and not Lebanese civilians.
Under planetary law, attacks connected civilian infrastructure, including homes and bridges, are mostly prohibited.
The Israeli subject declined to remark connected the Defence Minister’s remarks. The subject has antecedently said crushed troops were carrying retired constricted and targeted raids adjacent to the borderline with Israel.
Israel seeks defensive buffer similar successful Gaza, says Katz
Mr. Katz said determination could beryllium nary homes or residents successful areas of confederate Lebanon wherever determination was “terror” successful the area, successful an evident notation to Hezbollah, whose fighters person continued to motorboat regular rocket and drone attacks into Israeli territory and conflict Israeli troops successful confederate Lebanese villages.
Mr. Katz said Israeli soldiers were manoeuvring successful Lebanon to found a “forward antiaircraft line”, warring Hezbollah militants and destroying infrastructure utilized by the group, including homes that helium said relation arsenic “terrorist outposts”.
For the 2nd clip this week, helium said the attack was akin to that taken by the subject successful Gaza, clearing and demolishing buildings adjacent the borderline “to make a antiaircraft buffer and propulsion the menace distant from communities”.
On Monday (March 23, 2026), influential Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Israel should annex confederate Lebanon up to the river.
Israel’s strikes connected Lebanon person caused wide demolition crossed the country’s southbound and parts of the capital, Beirut, and person killed much than 1,000 people.
Over a cardinal radical person been forced from their homes. The United Nations quality rights main has criticised Israel’s actions, peculiarly its usage of wide evacuation orders.
Among those killed are astir 120 children, 80 women and 40 aesculapian personnel, according to Lebanon’s wellness ministry, which does not different separate betwixt civilians and militants. Two Israeli soldiers person been killed successful warring in Lebanon.
President Donald Trump connected Monday (March 23, 2026) said Washington and Tehran could soon scope an statement connected ending the warfare pursuing what helium has described arsenic talks betwixt U.S. and Iranian officials. Iran has denied determination person been immoderate negotiations with the U.S.
It is unclear if a ceasefire successful Lebanon would beryllium portion of immoderate statement connected ending the U.S.-Israeli warfare with Iran.
