Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he has ordered the military to expand and deepen operations in southern Lebanon, marking a further escalation in the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah.
In a videotaped statement released on Sunday, Netanyahu said Israeli forces were strengthening their control over areas in Lebanon held by the Iran-backed armed group and consolidating newly captured positions along the border region.
He said Israeli troops had crossed the Litani River and taken strategic terrain, including the Beaufort Ridge and its historic fortress in southern Lebanon, describing the development as a “dramatic stage and a dramatic shift” in Israel’s military posture.
The expansion of operations follows intensified cross-border clashes that have continued since the outbreak of broader regional hostilities in October 2023, involving Israel and Hezbollah along the Israel–Lebanon frontier.
Netanyahu said the objective of the latest phase was to secure and hold strategic positions, indicating a shift from temporary incursions to more sustained territorial control in contested areas.
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He also claimed that Israeli forces had killed thousands of Hezbollah fighters since the beginning of the conflict, including several hundred in recent weeks, although these figures have not been independently verified.
The announcement comes amid heightened regional tensions and fears of further escalation, as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continues to affect civilian areas on both sides of the border.
Images released alongside the statement showed Israeli armoured vehicles, artillery positions and air operations near the northern border, as well as smoke rising from strikes in southern Lebanon.
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Hezbollah has not issued an immediate response to the latest Israeli claims, but the group has previously vowed to continue resistance operations as long as Israeli forces remain active in Lebanese territory.
The situation has raised concerns among international observers about the risk of a broader regional war, particularly as diplomatic efforts to stabilise the Israel–Lebanon frontier have struggled to gain traction.
The conflict has already led to significant displacement and damage in border communities, with repeated exchanges of fire intensifying over recent months despite calls for restraint from global powers.
Netanyahu’s remarks signal that Israel is prepared to maintain and potentially expand its military presence in parts of southern Lebanon it considers strategically necessary for its security objectives.
