The Israeli army is using the ceasefire period to accelerate large-scale destruction in areas it occupies in southern Lebanon, which have been largely emptied of residents displaced by the conflict, according to local accounts.
Working around the clock across an area estimated at more than 800 square kilometers — about 8 percent of Lebanon’s territory — Israeli forces are systematically flattening buildings.
Confronted with the scale of the task and racing against time, the military engineering corps has enlisted private sector “demolition contractors,” some with experience in Gaza, to carry out operations in dozens of villages.
Using heavy machinery, including bulldozers and D9 units, they have begun what sources describe as a coordinated clearing campaign.
The occupied zone stretches from the Litani River to the internationally recognized border and has been divided into three sectors.
The first is a “total destruction” zone running along the entire Lebanese border strip, from the expanded Shebaa Farms area and the town of Khiam in the east, through Deir Siryan, to the coastal town of Bayyada in the west. Its depth ranges from about 3 kilometers at its narrowest point near Odaisseh to as much as 10 kilometers near Khiam.
This area is referred to by the Israeli army as the “yellow belt,” in reference to a similarly named line in Gaza. Civilian presence is effectively prohibited, with entry posing a serious risk to life.
The second sector extends from the “yellow belt” to the Litani River. Israeli forces have positioned this line along hilltops and elevated terrain to maintain direct visual oversight of the river corridor, despite advanced surveillance capabilities. Armed presence is banned in this zone, and civilian presence is strongly discouraged.
The area remains highly volatile, with Israeli troops on constant alert.
Reports indicate sporadic resistance operations, as well as the presence of minefields and ambushes. Tactics developed by Hezbollah since the 2006 war are being employed here. Most Israeli casualties reported in this area — 12 killed and around 30 wounded — occurred in this sector, which has also seen fire reach as far as the Tyre region.
The third sector extends from the Litani River northward to the Zahrani River. While not officially designated as occupied, it is subject to continuous aerial and maritime surveillance.
Israel believes Hezbollah uses this area as a launching ground for operations, including short- and medium-range rocket fire. Drones are reported to operate overhead day and night. Israeli assessments indicate that more than half of the roughly 8,000 rockets and shells fired from Lebanon originated from this zone.
Israeli military doctrine since Oct. 7, 2023, calls for layered security zones along each front — Lebanon, Syria and Gaza — including a fortified area inside Israel, a no-go “security belt” inside enemy territory, and a broader demilitarized zone.
Within Israel’s far-right leadership, some officials have embraced this approach as a precursor to expanding territorial control. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for further expansion and the establishment of Israeli military bases elsewhere in the region.
On the ground, Israeli forces appear intent on consolidating control over the “yellow belt” by erasing all structures above and below ground, from homes to schools and public buildings, a strategy critics say is aimed at preventing displaced residents south of the Litani from returning, or ensuring they find nothing left if they do.
The army also faces domestic criticism, particularly from residents of northern Israel, who say it has failed to provide adequate security despite months of fighting. Israeli officials argue that such operations could help secure longer-term calm on the northern front through a political agreement.
The Haaretz newspaper quoted a senior officer as saying the goal is “not a return to rounds of fighting, but achieving long-term security,” adding that Hezbollah has been significantly weakened compared with its position before Oct. 7, 2023.
