Netanyahu: Israel is Establishing a Larger "Buffer Zone" in Lebanon

On March 25, Xinhua News Agency reported from Jerusalem (reporters Chen Junqing and Wang Zhuolun) that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that Israel is establishing a larger "buffer zone" in Lebanon to counter the threat of anti-tank missiles from Hezbollah.

According to multiple Israeli media reports, during a video conference with local government leaders in the northern border area on the same day, Netanyahu emphasized that the current focus is to "dismantle Hezbollah," and "we are determined to fundamentally change the situation in Lebanon."

The day before, Israeli Defense Minister Katz stated that Israel would expand the "buffer zone" in southern Lebanon to the Litani River, and that residents displaced from southern Lebanon due to the conflict would not be allowed to return south of the Litani River until the threat from Hezbollah is eliminated and security in northern Israel is ensured.

The Litani River is about 30 kilometers from the temporary border "Blue Line" between Israel and Lebanon. Recently, Israel has conducted continuous airstrikes on bridges over the Litani River. Lebanese President Aoun stated on the 22nd that this is a precursor to a ground invasion by the Israeli military, and the attacks on the bridges aim to cut off the connection between southern Lebanon and other regions of Lebanon south of the Litani River.

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a large-scale military operation against Iran, which retaliated against Israeli and U.S. military bases in the Middle East. As Iran's main regional ally, Hezbollah began launching rockets into northern Israel on the evening of the 2nd of this month, while Israel conducted intense airstrikes on southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as the capital Beirut, and initiated ground operations in southern Lebanon.