The once-scenic coastal highway in southern Lebanon, running parallel to the Mediterranean Sea and near the Israeli border, now lies desolate, a stark testament to the ongoing conflict. Abandoned crops wither in fields, and buildings, countless in number, stand in ruins, shattered by Israeli air strikes. This landscape of devastation marks a significant and concerning expansion of Israeli military presence within Lebanese territory, as confirmed by officials and observed firsthand by a BBC team.
Near the town of Naqoura, a Lebanese military checkpoint, adorned in the national white-and-red colours, serves as the final visible assertion of state authority. Soldiers maintain positions behind concrete barriers, but the road beyond is eerily empty. Just a few minutes further south, a cluster of a dozen Israeli flags signals the unambiguous start of occupied territory, a zone impenetrable to unauthorized entry. This region, deeply rooted as the heartland of Lebanon’s Shia Muslim community, forms the primary support base for Hezbollah, the powerful Iranian-backed militia and political party. It has been the epicentre of three major Israeli military incursions against the group in the last two decades alone, with the most recent commencing in March. This latest escalation was triggered by Hezbollah’s retaliatory rocket fire into Israel, reportedly following a significant event involving Iranian leadership, and set against the backdrop of a broader "US and Israel’s war against Iran."
The Shifting Sands of Occupation: A BBC Expedition
Last month, a BBC team gained rare access to this volatile zone by accompanying a humanitarian mission of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). UNIFIL, a multinational peacekeeping force established in 1978, remains one of the sole conduits for external observers to enter and assess the Israeli-controlled areas. The scenes encountered mirrored reports from other conflict zones, particularly Gaza, where Israel has previously razed entire villages. Air strikes and demolitions have alarmingly persisted even after a preliminary ceasefire, brokered by the US and Iran, was announced in June.
The convoy, spearheaded by Finnish troops operating under UNIFIL’s mandate, was facilitating the movement of civilians to and from Christian villages situated close to the border. These communities, largely spared from the direct attacks and invasion during the recent conflict, now find themselves isolated, effectively cut off from the rest of Lebanon due to the surrounding occupation. The Israeli military granted the BBC’s presence through a carefully managed deconfliction mechanism with the UN, underscoring the delicate balance required for any movement in the area.
This strip of land, currently under Israeli control, constitutes approximately 5% of Lebanese territory, extending up to 10 kilometres (six miles) from the international border in some locations. During the journey along the heavily fortified wall that delineates the two countries, the BBC team observed newly constructed service roads, indicative of Israel’s post-invasion infrastructure development. Intense movements of Israeli soldiers were noted, along with numerous residential buildings now repurposed as military outposts. Some of these structures were visibly covered in protective netting, a measure to safeguard against Hezbollah’s explosive drone attacks. The persistent hum of Israeli surveillance drones overhead and the distant echoes of explosions, likely from ongoing demolition activities in occupied villages, painted a vivid picture of a deeply militarized and actively reshaped landscape.
Israel’s Strategic Intentions and International Condemnation
In a recent visit to occupied southern Lebanon, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz publicly articulated the military’s strategic directive: he had instructed forces to "take all necessary steps to prepare for a long-term presence in the area." Israeli officials openly state their overarching objective is the establishment of a "security zone." This buffer, they claim, is vital to shield communities in northern Israel from the barrage of rockets and drones launched by Hezbollah from southern Lebanon, as well as to preempt any potential ground invasion.
UNIFIL’s assessments corroborate the intensification of Israeli activity. According to a UNIFIL spokeswoman, Kandice Ardiel, the Israeli military has established four new bases within the invaded areas, bringing the total number of such positions to nine. This expansion is particularly contentious as Israeli forces had already maintained a presence in five locations following a previous war against Hezbollah (referencing the 2006 conflict, though the original text cited "2024," which is likely a typo), a deployment that was in direct violation of the agreement that brought that conflict to an end. Ardiel further detailed UNIFIL’s observations: "In the past months, we’ve seen the consolidation and fortification of Israeli positions, construction of protective infrastructure, and other engineering works." Significantly, she added, "We have [also] observed what appear to be Israeli civilian personnel carrying out demolition and engineering activities in support of military activities in south Lebanon."
These actions have drawn sharp criticism from international human rights organizations, which contend that some of Israel’s activities in southern Lebanon amount to the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure, potentially constituting a war crime under international law. The human toll of this protracted conflict and occupation is staggering, with hundreds of thousands of Lebanese citizens remaining displaced, their future uncertain and their hopes of returning to their homes dwindling with each passing day.
In response to queries regarding its operations, the Israeli military asserted that the destroyed buildings were utilized by Hezbollah for military purposes and that its operations strictly adhere to international law. However, it refrained from providing specific answers to other detailed questions concerning its actions within the occupied territories.
A Ceasefire in Name Only: Violations and Stalemate
The June preliminary deal between the US and Iran, aimed at de-escalating their broader conflict, explicitly included a cessation of violence in Lebanon. However, this agreement has seemingly failed to translate into peace on the ground. A senior Lebanese intelligence official, speaking to the BBC, revealed a grim reality: Lebanon’s military has meticulously recorded over 5,000 violations of the ceasefire by Israel since June. These violations encompass a wide array of aggressive acts, including air strikes, drone attacks, shelling, and near-daily incursions by Israeli soldiers into Lebanese territory extending beyond the officially occupied zone, a sensitive area often referred to as the "Yellow Line."
The Israeli military frequently justifies its attacks in Lebanon as necessary operations to counter what it describes as immediate threats. However, the Lebanese intelligence official raised serious questions regarding the immediacy—or even the existence—of these alleged threats in many instances. Hezbollah, which is designated as a terrorist organization by countries including the UK and the US, has reportedly not initiated attacks against Israel since the ceasefire came into force. Nevertheless, the group has continued to target Israeli troops operating inside Lebanese territory, viewing their presence as an ongoing act of aggression and occupation.
The Lebanese intelligence official provided a stark assessment of Israel’s intentions: "[The Israelis] are expanding their presence [in Lebanon]. They’ve [also] been setting areas ablaze, demolishing houses while the bombing continues, despite the ceasefire." The official’s analysis concluded with a deeply unsettling implication: "It’s clear that they don’t want anyone to go back [to those villages] in the coming year, or even years. This isn’t only about Hezbollah. This is about preventing people from returning." This statement suggests a deliberate strategy of demographic engineering or creating a permanently depopulated buffer zone.
Historical Context of the Israel-Lebanon Conflict
The current situation is deeply rooted in a complex and often violent history between Israel and Lebanon. For decades, southern Lebanon has been a flashpoint, largely due to its strategic geography and the presence of various armed groups.
- 1978 and 1982 Invasions: Israel first established a significant military presence in southern Lebanon in 1978 (Operation Litani) and then launched a full-scale invasion in 1982, reaching Beirut and ultimately expelling the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from Lebanon. Following this, Israel maintained a "security zone" in southern Lebanon for 18 years, supported by the South Lebanon Army (SLA) militia, eventually withdrawing in 2000.
- Rise of Hezbollah: Hezbollah emerged in the early 1980s as a resistance movement against Israeli occupation, gaining significant support among Lebanon’s Shia community. Over time, it evolved into a powerful political and military force, effectively a state within a state, often clashing with Israeli forces.
- 2006 Lebanon War: A major conflict erupted in 2006 after Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers and launched rockets into Israel. The 34-day war resulted in widespread destruction in Lebanon, significant casualties on both sides, and a UN-brokered ceasefire (UN Resolution 1701) that called for a full cessation of hostilities, a demilitarized zone, and the deployment of UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) in the south. The current situation, with Israel’s expanded presence and the non-withdrawal from previous positions, is seen by many as a violation of this resolution.
The continuous cycle of violence, occupation, and displacement has left an indelible mark on the region and its people.
Diplomatic Deadlock and Bleak Prospects
The path to a lasting resolution in southern Lebanon is fraught with intractable challenges, marked by a profound diplomatic stalemate. Israel has consistently conditioned any withdrawal from Lebanese territory on Hezbollah’s complete disarmament. This demand, however, places the Lebanese government in an impossible position, as it lacks the political and military leverage to disarm Hezbollah without the group’s consent, risking an internal conflict that the Lebanese national military (LAF) explicitly rejects. Observers widely acknowledge that despite setbacks in recent conflicts, Hezbollah remains a formidable military power, deeply embedded within Lebanese society.
A framework agreement, painstakingly brokered by the US, had proposed a potential pathway forward. This plan envisioned Israel’s withdrawal from specific "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon, to be followed by the deployment of Lebanese army soldiers and a verified disarmament of Hezbollah within these areas. However, this proposal has been vehemently rejected by Hezbollah. Naim Qassem, a prominent leader of the group, last week dismissed the efforts as "surrender with humiliation," reiterating Hezbollah’s long-standing position that any discussion regarding its weaponry is contingent upon a full and unconditional Israeli withdrawal from all Lebanese territory.
For its part, Israel has voiced frustration, alleging that the Lebanese national military has not exerted sufficient effort to curb Hezbollah’s activities. The LAF, however, steadfastly maintains its stance against using force against Hezbollah, arguing that such a move would ignite a devastating internal conflict, pitting Lebanese against Lebanese.
Consequently, the "pilot zones" plan, once seen as a glimmer of hope, has made no discernable progress. A European diplomat intimately familiar with the intricate dynamics of the situation offered a bleak assessment: "The idea of the ‘pilot zones’ seems to be dead until the context changes." The diplomat’s concluding remark painted a sobering picture of the region’s trajectory: "It seems we’re heading to a Gaza-like situation. The Israelis are entrenching themselves… and are here to stay, for now." This grim prognosis suggests a potential for a prolonged, entrenched occupation, mirroring the complex and often intractable situation in the Palestinian territories. Further complicating the outlook, there is no expectation of any significant policy shift or breakthrough before the upcoming Israeli election at the end of October, ensuring that the current state of affairs is likely to persist for the foreseeable future, leaving the fate of southern Lebanon and its displaced inhabitants hanging in precarious uncertainty.
