Israel’s military to occupy swathe of southern Lebanon, Defence Chief says

Israel plans to occupy southern Lebanon amid escalating violence, targeting Hezbollah and causing widespread destruction and civilian casualties.

Israel’s military will occupy southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, defence minister ​Israel Katz said on Tuesday, the first time Israel has clearly spelled out ⁠its intent to seize swathes of territory that make up nearly a tenth of Lebanon.

Mr. Katz has previously threatened Lebanon’s government it would lose territory if it did not disarm Hezbollah, the militant group backed by Tehran that ‌drew Lebanon into the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran when it fired into Israel on March 2.

On Tuesday (March 24, 2026), Mr. Katz said in a meeting with the military chief of ‌staff that the military would “control the remaining bridges and the security zone up to the ‌Litani”, ⁠and was creating a “defensive buffer”.

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The Litani River meets the Mediterranean about 30 km (20 miles) ⁠north of the Israeli border with Lebanon.

The military has destroyed five bridges over the river since March 13 and has accelerated the demolition of homes in Lebanese villages close to the Israeli border as part of a campaign that Israel ​says is aimed at Hezbollah and ‌not Lebanese civilians.