Nadene Goldfoot
On 8 October 2023, a day after Hamas launched its 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel and Israel began its bombing of Gaza, Hezbollah joined the conflict in "solidarity with the Palestinians", initially firing on Israeli military outposts in Shebaa Farms and the Golan Heights — both territories under Israeli government. In 1981, Israel passed the Golan Heights Law to legalize its law, jurisdiction, and administration. The Sheba Farms between 2000 and 2005, Hezbollah attacked the IDF at Shebaa/Har Dov 33 times, resulting in seven Israeli soldiers killed in action, three taken prisoner, and dozens wounded.
On 26 April 2024, an Israeli Bedouin truck driver was killed at Har Dov during infrastructure works as a result of an anti-tank missile strike by Hezbollah.
Since then, Hezbollah and Israel have been involved in cross-border military exchanges that have displaced entire communities in Israel and Lebanon, with significant damage to buildings and land along the border.
From 7 October 2023 to 20 September 2024, there were 10,200 cross border attacks, of which Israel launched 8,300. Over 96,000 people in Israel, and over 111,000 in Lebanon, have been displaced during this period. Israel and Hezbollah have maintained their attacks at a level that causes harm without escalating into a full-scale war.
Hezbollah has taken over Lebanon almost completely.
Sgt. Maj. (res.) Ayal Uriel Bianco, 30, of Katzrin, was killed in combat in southern Lebanon when the Humvee he was in overturned. He served as the driver of a firefighting vehicle in the 188th Brigade. Three other soldiers were injured in the incident. Ten soldiers were wounded in fighting in southern Lebanon overnight, including three in serious condition, during a close-quarters encounter with Hezbollah terrorists. Altogether, 14 IDF were affected.
Why is Israel fighting in southern Lebanon? Israel is fighting in southern Lebanon to neutralize the threat posed by Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed paramilitary group, following rocket and drone attacks that began on March 2, 2026, in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli killing of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
Israel’s primary goals are to establish a "no-go" security buffer zone up to the Litani River and stop cross-border fire, forcing residents of northern Israel, who evacuated, to be able to return safely.
By 2022, the Litani River had also become central in geopolitical discussions due to its proximity to Israel and its strategic significance in water politics.
In March 2026, during the 2026 Lebanon war, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that Israel, following the war, should annex territories up to the Litani River.
Israeli Defense minister Israel Katz states that the military will control a "security zone" up to the Litani River in southern Lebanon until the threat of Hezbollah is removed.
On March 31, Katz stated that all homes in villages near the border in Lebanon would be destroyed and that Israel will establish a buffer zone in Southern Lebanon.
Israel struck a main bridge linking Lebanon's south to the rest of the country on Sunday after ordering its military to destroy all crossings over Lebanon's Litani River and to step up the demolition of homes near the southern border.
The destruction of bridges and homes marks a significant escalation in Israel's military campaign in Lebanon — which was pulled into the regional war on March 2 when Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah fired into Israeli territory after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28 and assassinated its supreme leader.
International law generally prohibits militaries from attacking civilian infrastructure, and the United Nations human rights chief has criticized Israel's actions in Lebanon, particularly its use of widespread evacuation orders.
Sunday's strike pulverized a crossing on Lebanon's coastal highway that ran through farmland and was one of the main routes linking southern and central Lebanon.
An Israeli military spokesperson had announced the army would strike the bridge earlier on Sunday.
The guardian of Australia had this to say:
After fighting erupted once again between Hezbollah and Israel after the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Israel’s military launched a bombing campaign and ground invasion of southern Lebanon, displacing more than 1.2 million people and, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, more than 2,000 have been killed so far. (Hezbollah number are always overdone. )
Israel has said that it will occupy vast swathes of south Lebanon, establishing a “security zone” in the area up to the Litani River, adding that displaced people would not be allowed to return to their homes until the safety of northern Israeli cities is guaranteed, prompting concern there will be long-term displacement.
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