Israeli military publishes map of south Lebanon territory under its control

On Sunday, the Israeli military released a map of its new deployment line in Lebanon for the first time. This gave it control over hundreds of mostly abandoned Lebanese communities just days after a ceasefire with Hezbollah went into force.

On Thursday, Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire in the hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, with the help of the US.

The arrangement, which came after the first direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in decades on April 14, is designed to make it possible for the US and Iran to talk more, although Israeli troops will stay in southern Lebanon.

The deployment line on the map goes 5–10 km deep from the border into Lebanese territory, where Israel says it aims to build a “buffer zone.”

Israeli troops have demolished communities in Lebanon in the area, alleging that their goal is to keep Hezbollah from attacking towns in northern Israel. It has set up buffer zones in Syria and Gaza, where it controls more than half of the area.

The military said in a statement that “five divisions, along with Israeli Navy forces, are working at the same time south of the forward defence line in southern Lebanon to destroy Hezbollah terror infrastructure sites and stop direct threats to communities in northern Israel.”

The Israeli military would not say if anyone who fled the strikes would be able to go back home.

According to a Lebanese security source, Lebanese citizens have been able to get to some of the communities that are on or beyond the Israeli-set line. However, Israeli forces still keep most of those south of the line from getting there.

near Sunday, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that residences near the border that Hezbollah was using will be torn down. He also said that “any structure threatening our soldiers and any road suspected of being planted with explosives must be immediately destroyed.”

Lebanon got involved in the war on March 2 when Hezbollah opened fire in support of Tehran. This followed to an Israeli attack that has killed more than 2,100 people, including 177 children, and prompted more than 1.2 million to leave, according to Lebanese officials.

Hezbollah has not released any information on their casualties. Sources close to the group said that by the end of March, at least 400 of its militants had died.

Hezbollah has shot hundreds of rockets and drones toward Israel. According to Israel, its attacks have killed two civilians in Israel and 15 Israeli soldiers in Lebanon since March 2.