Israel's
defence minister has announced plans for his country's military to take
control of southern Lebanon, from the Israeli border, known as the Blue
Line, to the Litani River.
Residents
of southern Lebanon have been fearing Israel's recent military action
against the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah could be the
precursor to a period of ongoing occupation, similar to what Israel did
from 1982 to 2000.
Intense
Israeli bombardment of claimed Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon,
and the southern suburbs of Beirut, has so far killed more than 1,000
people. More than 100 children are among them.
The
United Nations has said more than one million people are also displaced
as a result of the conflict, putting immense strain on Lebanon's
limited and at times non-existent support services.
Defence Minister Israel Katz is describing the move as the creation of a "security zone".
During
a briefing in Tel Aviv Mr Katz said the Israeli military had destroyed
five bridges over the Litani River which they claim Hezbollah had been
using, adding Israel would seek to control all other river crossings.
"Hundreds
of thousands of residents of southern Lebanon who evacuated north will
not return south of the Litani River until security is guaranteed for
residents of the north," he said.
"The principle is clear: there is terror and missiles, there will be no homes and residents — and the IDF will be inside.
"We
will not allow a return to the situation of October 7. We promised to
bring security to residents of the north, and that is exactly what we
will do."
Israel has faced
criticism for the destruction of bridges in the south, accused of
wilfully destroying civilian infrastructure and isolating small
communities.
Hezbollah will
fight to prevent Israeli troops from occupying southern Lebanon, one of
the group's top lawmakers Hassan Fadlallah told Reuters, saying such an
occupation would pose an "existential threat" to Lebanon as a state.
Villages to be demolished
It
has been three weeks since Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the broader
regional war, firing upon Israel in solidarity with the Iranian regime
in Tehran.
Many towns and
cities in the south have been hit by attacks, and the Hezbollah
stronghold suburb of Dahiyeh in Beirut's south has also been repeatedly
hit.
The US Ambassador to
Lebanon, Michel Issa, had said last week that the United States asked
Israel to spare Christian communities in the south.
Lebanon's justice minister told the ABC
the militant group, considered a terrorist organisation under
Australian law, had effectively given Israel an excuse to attack Lebanon
and pursue its territorial ambitions north of its current borders.
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