Israel's military presence in southern Lebanon continues to expand following the ceasefire agreement announced 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 has grown by about 60 square kilometers, reaching 650 square kilometers.
The unit, which compared maps published by the Israeli army, found that the border line has expanded by 10 percent. This expansion indicates that Israel's efforts to create a new field reality in the region are ongoing.
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, then-Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah believed that Israel could not detect his position and target him.
However, Nasrallah was killed in a major airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut on September 27, 2024. Subsequently, his successor Hashem Safieddine and dozens of senior military and security officials were also targeted in assassinations.
'Yellow line' and deepening occupation
The assassinations of Nasrallah and Safieddine were a turning point on the Lebanese front. The Israeli army occupied five high hills under the pretext 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; it targeted 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. Similarly, the city of Al-Khiyam was occupied and most of its neighborhoods were destroyed.
Before completing field control over the 'yellow line,' 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 offers a commanding position over settlements in the Galilee panhandle, 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 the area from north of the Litani to the Sidon coast under fire. Israeli forces also took control of towns such as Zawtar al-Sharqiya, Hamra Farm, and Yahmour, and advanced towards the town of Arnoun, 4 kilometers from Nabatieh. Reaching Hadeta Hill, the army achieved fire and geographic surveillance superiority over the western and central sectors.
Heavy humanitarian 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 completely razed, many cities and towns suffered extensive destruction.
