Israel's military presence in southern Lebanon continues to expand following the ceasefire agreement declared on April 17, 2026. According to an analysis by Al Jazeera's open source unit, the area designated by the Israeli army as a buffer zone grew by about 60 square kilometers, reaching 650 square kilometers.
The unit, which compared the maps published by the Israeli army, found that the border line expanded by 10 percent. This expansion shows that Israel's efforts to create a new field reality in the region continue.
The course of clashes with Hezbollah
Hezbollah began clashes with Israel on October 8, 2023, under the name 'support front for Gaza.' According to party officials, the then-Secretary General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, believed that Israel could not locate him and target him.
However, on September 27, 2024, Nasrallah was killed in a large airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut. Subsequently, his successor Hashim Safiyuddin and dozens of senior military and security officials were also targeted in assassinations.
Yellow line and deepening occupation
The assassinations of Nasrallah and Safiyuddin were a turning point on the Lebanese front. The Israeli army occupied five high hills on the grounds of protecting border security and named this area the 'yellow line.' This line covered an area of about 600 square kilometers, reached a depth of 10 kilometers, and included some 55 towns.
In the following period, the killing of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei became a new breaking point for Hezbollah. As the front flared up for revenge, Israel launched a large-scale operation, targeting southern villages, the southern suburbs of Beirut, and the Bekaa with dozens of forced evacuation warnings.
Destruction of cities and forced displacement
Israeli forces completely blew up and razed the city of Bint Jbeil. This southern city, once with a vibrant economy, turned into rubble. Likewise, the city of Al-Khiam was occupied and large parts of its neighborhoods were destroyed.
Before the field control on the 'yellow line' was completed, the Israeli army forcibly displaced residents of border villages, towns, and cities from the area up to the Litani River. The number of displaced people exceeded 1.2 million.
Crossing the Litani River and strategic points
The Israeli army crossed the Litani River to consolidate its control in southern Lebanon and captured the strategic Shaqif Castle. This castle provides a commanding position over the settlements in the Galilee Finger, the Litani River, the Marjeyoun Plain, and Nabatieh.
Advancing from Shaqif Castle towards Ali al-Tahir Hill, Israeli forces thus gained the ability to keep under fire the area from north of the Litani to the Sidon coast. Israeli forces also took control of towns such as Zawtar al-Sharqiya, Hamra Farm, and Yahmour, and advanced towards the town of Arnun, 4 kilometers from Nabatieh. Reaching Hadeta Hill, the army achieved fire and geographic surveillance superiority over the western and central sectors.
Heavy human toll
Contrary to Israel's narrative of 'limited operations,' more than 4,000 Lebanese lost their lives in the clashes, and over 12,000 people were injured. As a result of Israeli bombardment, airstrikes, and ground operations, approximately 61,000 housing units were almost completely destroyed. While some villages were razed to the ground, many cities and towns suffered massive destruction.
