Latest Developments

Pushing Further Into Lebanon: The IDF stated on March 16 that troops had begun a ‘targeted ground operation’ against ‘key objectives’ in southern Lebanon as part of Israel’s efforts to expand the buffer zone following Hezbollah rocket attacks. “This operation is part of the effort to establish forward defense … to remove threats and create an additional layer of security for residents of the north,” according to the Israeli military.
Israel Kills Hezbollah Operatives in Eastern Sector, Lebanese Evacuate the South: The 91st “Galilee Regional” Brigade launched the raid late on March 14 “in the eastern sector of southern Lebanon, during which troops encountered and killed several Hezbollah operatives,” the military stated. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said, “Hundreds of thousands of Shiite residents of south Lebanon who have evacuated and are evacuating from their homes will not return to the area south of the Litani [River] until the safety of the residents of the north is guaranteed.”
Hezbollah Pays Heavy Price for Backing Iran: As part of a March 16 visit to Northern Command, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir stated, “Weakening the [Iranian] regime and its capabilities will weaken the entire radical axis, including the Hezbollah terrorist organization.” Zamir added, “Hezbollah … is paying a heavy price following its decision to attack Israel on behalf of the Iranian regime, and the pressure on it will only continue to increase.”

FDD Expert Response

“Israel has, as of this morning, widened its war against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies. The ground war in Lebanon against Hezbollah runs the risk of spreading the Israelis thin. But the potential benefits could outweigh the risks. Hezbollah is already weakened militarily after more than two years of war. Israel sees an opportunity, even as missiles and rockets continue to rain down, to hammer the group into submission. This is a potentially transformative moment in the Middle East. Israel now sees a generational opportunity to end this reign of terror.” — Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Director

“Israel, it seems, no longer trusts Lebanese promises to restrain or disarm Hezbollah and is therefore taking matters into its own hands by apparently moving to reestablish a security zone in south Lebanon to keep Hezbollah from the border. Implicitly, Israel is admitting that Hezbollah will continue to exist and that such a buffer is necessary. At the same time, even if done right, it will carry risks of exposing Israeli troops to Hezbollah’s attacks and overextending the IDF.” — David Daoud, Senior Fellow

“For the past 15 months, the Lebanese government has claimed that the area south of the Litani River has been largely disarmed. In reality, it hasn’t. Israel’s actions today to establish a security zone in precisely that area expose the Lebanese state’s false assurances. One thing is clear: the only force capable of disarming and weakening Hezbollah is not the Lebanese state but the IDF.” — Ahmad Sharawi, Senior Research Analyst