By Anat Peled
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened the long-term displacement of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese people and Israeli military control of a large area of Lebanon as it attempts to create an extended buffer zone.
"Hundreds of thousands of residents of southern Lebanon who evacuated north will not return south of the Litani River until security is guaranteed for the residents of the North," Katz said, referring to Israeli towns near the border with Lebanon that have been targeted with daily Hezbollah rocket fire.
Hezbollah joined the war in support of Iran earlier this month, breaking a fragile November cease-fire with Israel. Israel responded by launching a land invasion into Lebanon last week that Katz said was aimed at creating a "defensive zone" in the south similar to the buffer zone Israel holds in Gaza. More than 1,000 people in Lebanon have been killed, according to the country's Health Ministry, a figure that doesn't distinguish between militants and combatants.
As part of the offensive, Israel has expanded its targets to include Lebanese state infrastructure that it claims is being used by the militant group, such as gas stations and bridges.
"All five bridges over the Litani that were used by Hezbollah for the passage of terrorists and weapons have been blown up, and the IDF will control the remaining bridges and the security zone up to the Litani," Katz said, referring to the Israeli military.
This item is part of a Wall Street Journal live coverage event. The full stream can be found by searching P/WSJL (WSJ Live Coverage).
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 24, 2026 06:45 ET (10:45 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Comments