JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that he has instructed the military to expand operations in southern Lebanon, citing ongoing rocket fire from Hezbollah.
Read More: Israel strikes South Lebanon despite ceasefire talks
In a video statement from the Israeli Northern Command, Netanyahu said the expansion aims to “finally thwart the threat of invasion and to push the anti-tank missile fire away from our border.” It was unclear whether he referred to the previously announced “buffer zone” up to the Litani River or additional territory. His office did not provide further details, and the security cabinet has not yet formally discussed the matter.
🚨 Netanyahu Announces an Expansion of Israel’s Invasion of Southern Lebanon
“The government has approved the mobilization of some 400,000 Israeli reservists … The Israeli military here describes it as a defensive posture.”
pic.twitter.com/MQsbWIRlFL— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) March 29, 2026
Last week, Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces would control “the remaining bridges and the security zone up to the Litani,” a river approximately 30 km north of Israel’s border.
The ongoing Israeli strikes and ground operations have killed more than 1,100 people in Lebanon, including children, women, and medical personnel, according to the Lebanese health ministry. The Israeli military has reported four of its soldiers killed in southern Lebanon.
Netanyahu stressed that the decision strengthens Israel’s northern frontier security, claiming the substantial threat posed by 150,000 missiles and rockets aimed at Israeli cities has been neutralized. “However, Hezbollah still has a residual capability to launch rockets at us…We are determined to fundamentally change the situation in the north,” he said.
He also highlighted Israel’s broader multi-front campaign against Iran and allied groups, including Hezbollah and Hamas in Gaza, asserting that Israeli operations are weakening Iran’s regional influence.
Read More: Lebanon says nearly 400 killed, 1110 injured in ongoing Israeli attacks
The escalation comes amid heightened tensions across the region, with Israel seeking to secure its northern borders while countering perceived threats from Iran-backed militias.