The Israeli army announced on Tuesday that it had completed deploying its ground forces in southern Lebanon to an “advanced defense line” against fighters from the Shiite Hezbollah movement.
A Lebanese military source told AFP that the Israeli army had made progress on three axes “between five and nine kilometers” into Lebanese territory.
The Israeli army did not provide geographical details on the maximum advance point of its soldiers in Lebanese territory.
Several Israeli newspapers indicate that the army does not intend at this stage to push the troops further than about twenty kilometers north of the border between the two countries.
The Israeli forces “have now completed their deployment on the ‘anti-tank line’ and continue their operations in the area to strengthen the advanced defense line and push back the threat to the residents of northern Israel,” a military statement said.
Israeli Defense Minister Katz has repeatedly stated in recent weeks that Israel intends to establish a “security zone” in southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, about thirty kilometers from the Israel-Lebanon border, to prevent any rocket, drone, or missile fire from the pro-Iranian Hezbollah into northern Israel.
Anti-tank missiles have a range of about ten kilometers.
According to the Lebanese military source, the Israeli army has advanced about nine kilometers along the coast, reaching the town of Bayada.
In the eastern sector of the border zone, “the Israeli army has advanced up to seven kilometers,” the source said. The Israeli army now controls the strategic town of Khiam.
In the central sector, Israeli forces have been able to progress “up to five kilometers,” according to the same source.
The Israeli army has positioned itself on heights overlooking the areas they have advanced into, especially in Bayada, a security source on the ground told AFP.
In late March, Defense Minister Katz stated that the army would remain in part of southern Lebanon once the war in the Middle East is over and indicated that “all houses in adjacent Lebanese villages near the border would be demolished.”
The Lebanese military source confirmed that “enormous explosions” are regularly heard in the area invaded by Israeli troops, prompting the Lebanese army to retreat to avoid direct confrontation.
According to the Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot, the army is expected to present to the government in the coming days “an operational plan to control the first line of villages (Lebanese) as a deep security zone.”
The newspaper Haaretz reports that “there is currently no plan to advance further into the country.”
Citing military sources, the newspaper notes that the forces have reached an approved line in the operational plans, which includes villages “located about 10 kilometers (south) of the Litani River.”
AFP
