TEL AVIV/BEIRUT (Reuters) – Israel’s occupation forces will occupy southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, defence minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday, the first time Israel has clearly spelled out its intent to seize swathes of territory that make up nearly a tenth of Lebanon.
Katz has previously threatened Lebanon’s government it would lose territory if it did not disarm Hezbollah, the group backed by Tehran that drew Lebanon into the US-Israeli war on Iran when it fired into Israel on March 2.
On Tuesday, Katz said in a meeting with the military chief of staff that the occupation forces would “control the remaining bridges and the security zone up to the Litani”, and was creating a “defensive buffer”.
The Litani River meets the Mediterranean about 30 km (20 miles) north of the Israeli border with Lebanon.
The occupation forces have destroyed five bridges over the river since March 13 and have accelerated the demolition of homes in Lebanese villages near the Israeli border as part of a campaign that Israel says is aimed at Hezbollah rather than Lebanese civilians.
Under international law, attacks on civilian infrastructure, including homes and bridges, are generally prohibited.
