Israel has announced a major escalation of its military campaign along the northern border with southern Lebanon, responding to ongoing rocket attacks by Hezbollah. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that this expansion aims to enhance Israel’s security and protect communities in the north from further assaults.
In a video address from the Israeli Northern Command, Netanyahu highlighted that thousands of Hezbollah fighters have been eliminated and much of their missile threat neutralized. However, he stressed that the group still retains the capacity to launch attacks, prompting Israel’s determination to fundamentally alter the security situation in the region.
Last week, Israeli forces began extending a buffer zone reaching up to the Litani River, though it remains unclear if the latest operational expansion involves additional territory. Defence Minister Israel Katz emphasized that Israeli troops would maintain control over key strategic locations to secure the border effectively.
The recent surge in hostilities followed US and Israeli airstrikes targeting Iran, which triggered Hezbollah’s rocket fire. Lebanese sources report that over 1,100 people, including civilians, have been killed in the ongoing strikes, while Israel has confirmed the deaths of four soldiers during combat operations.
Netanyahu underscored that the northern front campaign is part of a wider, multi-front strategy against Iran and its allied groups, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. The objective is to diminish Iran’s regional influence and safeguard Israel’s borders.
Meanwhile, the expanding military operations have resulted in tragic civilian casualties, including health workers. On Sunday, a World Health Organization paramedic was killed in southern Lebanon during an Israeli strike on an ambulance in Bint Jbeil. Additionally, a medical warehouse in the same city was destroyed.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed the paramedic’s death and the destruction of the medical facility in a social media post. He also reported that since March 2, at least 51 Lebanese health workers have been killed in various strikes, including nine paramedics on the previous Saturday.
