Israel intensifies attacks in Lebanon and advances to occupy the south of the country

Israel’s Zionist government has intensified attacks in Lebanon in recent days, combining bombings, ground incursions and destruction of strategic infrastructure. The escalation has already left at least 1,039 dead, 2,876 injured and more than a million people forced to flee their homes, according to Lebanese authorities.

The actions take place amid statements from government members who defend the occupation of the south of the country and the imposition of permanent military control over the region, with forced displacement of the population and possible redefinition of the Lebanese border.

The intensification became more evident between Monday (23) and Tuesday (24), with attacks on southern Lebanon and the outskirts of Beirut, in addition to attempts to advance by land in border areas.

During the night, bombings hit neighborhoods in the capital, while villages in the south were targeted by artillery. There were direct clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters.

Incursions were also recorded in locations such as Halta, in the Al-Arqoub region — a strategic area close to the border and the occupied Golan Heights — with the invasion of houses, deaths of civilians and kidnapping of residents.

The attacks also hit residential buildings in areas such as Bchamoun, on the outskirts of Beirut, and refugee camps in the south of the country.

The movement on the ground is accompanied by a more explicit discourse within the Israeli government. The statements indicate a change in level, with signs of attempted occupation and territorial reconfiguration in southern Lebanon, in a model similar to that adopted in Gaza.

Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that “the Army is advancing into Lebanese territory to establish an advanced defense line that eliminates Hezbollah fighters and destroys infrastructure considered terrorist and homes in Lebanese villages close to the border.”

He also indicated that the displacement of the population is likely to be prolonged by declaring that “hundreds of thousands of residents of southern Lebanon, evacuated to the north, will not return to areas south of the Litani River until the complete safety of the inhabitants of northern Israel is guaranteed.”

On Sunday (22), Israel bombed the strategic Qasmiyeh bridge, over the Litani River, the main link between southern Lebanon and the rest of the country. The action occurred following a government order to destroy crossings used in the region.

The attacks were accompanied by the advance of troops with armored vehicles into Lebanese territory, under artillery cover, increasing the isolation of the region.

Other members of the government coalition openly defend the redefinition of the border.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich proposed that “the Litani should be our new border with the State of Lebanon” and stated that “the current war in Lebanon must end with a radical change, beyond the defeat of the Hezbollah group”.

In the same vein, he declared that “we are going to push [o inimigo] away on all fronts and create a sterile security cordon that will separate the enemy from our citizens.”