Israel published a new military map on Thursday revealing an expanded control zone in southern Lebanon, declaring it reserves the right to strike beyond these borders. The move directly challenges a freshly minted U.S.-Iran pact that demands respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty.
An interim agreement was signed just a day prior to end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. The pact mandates an immediate halt to fighting on all fronts and explicitly calls for parties to guarantee “the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon.”
Despite the agreement, Israel has refused to withdraw the forces it deployed during its March invasion.
A senior Israeli official confirmed the government is locked in “stubborn negotiations” with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to maintain a military presence 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) inside southern Lebanon to pursue Hezbollah.
While Israeli troops have physically occupied these deeper territories for weeks, Thursday’s map marks the first official acknowledgment of the expanded perimeter. Shaded in dark red, the new zone pushes several kilometers deeper into Lebanon than a previous buffer map released in April, encroaching on the Hezbollah stronghold of Nabatieh, north of the Litani River.
An Israeli military official doubled down on the expansion, stating the military “will continue to remove threats… identified beyond the security zone,” effectively signaling an intent to launch airstrikes and operations even deeper into sovereign Lebanese territory.
Meanwhile, the conflict on the ground remains volatile. Hezbollah has sustained its attacks on Israeli positions this week, utilizing explosive drones that have killed and injured Israeli troops.
In a televised address on Wednesday, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem fiercely rejected any Israeli occupation lines.
“No yellow zones, no red zones, and no green zones,” Qassem said. “Israel must leave, and it will leave.”
