The Israeli army published a map on Thursday of a new expanded zone of control in southern Lebanon, detailing a significant expansion in military occupation and operations, Reuters reported.
Israeli forces have said they will not rule out carrying out attacks beyond occupation lines, challenging the recently signed Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran, which categorically calls for a halt to fighting between Israel and Lebanon.
The first point of the MoU, which ended the US-Israel war on Iran, declares an “immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon” as well as “ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon”.
Israel has so far not ended its attacks on Lebanon and repeatedly rejected calls to withdraw troops from southern Lebanon.
US President Donald Trump has grown seemingly irritated with Israel’s heavy-handed approach in Lebanon, saying on Wednesday, “When two drones are shot into the desert and drop harmlessly, you don’t have to knock down buildings in Beirut.”
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The map reveals that Israeli forces are operating several kilometres deeper into Lebanese territory than previously thought.
Israeli troops have been in these areas for several weeks, but they had not yet published a map showing the expanded zone of control, marked in dark red on the map published on Thursday.
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Israel has pushed about 10km into Lebanese land and maritime territory along its “Yellow Line.” The zone extends into eight additional villages: Mazraat Byout El Saiyad; Majdal Zoun; Haddatha; Beit Yahoun; Zawtar El Charqiyeh; Arnoun; Yohmor; and Kfar Tebnit, according to architect and spatial researcher Ahmad Baydoun.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported on Thursday that an Israeli drone attack struck a car near Kfar Tebnit, killing two people. One other person is known to have been killed in a separate Israeli strike in Zebdine. The agency also reported that an Israeli drone dropped a munition in Beit Yahoun, wounding two people.
Lebanon’s health ministry on Tuesday said that at least 3,826 people have been killed, and over 11,800 have been wounded since the US-Israel war on Iran was launched.
Reuters reported that an Israeli official close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “stubborn negotiations” were underway with the Trump administration regarding keeping Israeli troops deployed inside Lebanese territory. The official stated that Israel would not withdraw from the area south of Lebanon’s Litani River.
Another Israeli official told Reuters that the result of these negotiations depended on whether Trump decided "to force the issue” by threatening consequences if Israel failed to respect the MoU.
Trump criticises Israeli conduct in Lebanon
Trump heavily criticised Israeli conduct in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, saying the country had been killing civilians and not just Hezbollah members.
Speaking at the G7 Summit on Tuesday, Trump said “too many people have been killed in Lebanon” and suggested Israeli tactics were disproportionate and indiscriminate.
“You don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody, because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses, and they’re not all Hezbollah,” he said.
He added that overall Israel had been fighting with the Lebanese armed group for “too long”.
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Trump’s comments come amid growing tensions between the US and Israel over the recently announced MoU to end the conflict with Iran.
Numerous Israeli officials have expressed opposition to the deal, particularly to terms that suggest an end to Israel’s attacks on Lebanon.
On Sunday, Trump excoriated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for launching attacks in Lebanon that threatened to derail the final agreement just hours before it was announced.
“He’s a very difficult guy,” Trump said of Netanyahu, “and to be honest with you, he should be very thankful to us for doing this. Because if Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel wouldn’t be around for two hours.”
Then on Tuesday, Trump said he wanted Syria to invade Lebanon to fight Hezbollah, saying that President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s forces could have done a better job against the group than Israel.
“Israel’s fighting Hezbollah too long and too many people are being killed...I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah,” Trump told reporters sitting alongside Qatar’s ruler on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France. “He’s very capable,” he said, referring to Sharaa.
“If Israel can’t do the job without killing everyone else, he’ll do the job. Syria will do the job,” Trump added.
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