Israeli forces have advanced into Lebanon’s Ras al-Bayada area, a hilly region about 14 kilometers from the Galilee border overlooking the Litani River, with the army saying it plans to remain there for an extended, though temporary, period.
The move comes as tensions emerge between the military and the government over the scope of operations in southern Lebanon.
Families of several soldiers from the Nahal Infantry Brigade have written to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and senior commanders, urging a reassessment of their sons’ deployment.
They warned that the “risks are unjustified due to a lack of air support” and cited rising casualties. “Remaining in Lebanon, under current conditions, exposes soldiers to danger in an extremely unreasonable way,” they said, calling for an urgent review and alternative strategies.
The government has advocated full control of South Lebanon and making the Litani River Israel’s new border. The army has rejected that approach, saying it will instead treat the Litani as a “line of fire,” monitored from what it calls a “yellow line” — a concept previously applied to the Gaza Strip border and viewed as temporary pending a withdrawal decision.
Tens of thousands of troops have been deployed to Lebanon under this framework.
The soldiers’ families said 13 people have been killed so far — 10 soldiers and three civilians — and 20 soldiers wounded. They added that “since most air force resources are currently devoted to Iran, soldiers in Lebanon are not receiving sufficient air support,” which they said was likely a key factor behind the casualties.
Debate over protecting northern civilians
Citing military sources, the families said one objective of the ground incursion is to draw Hezbollah fire toward Israeli troops rather than civilians in northern Israel.
While stressing the importance of protecting border communities, they argued this should not come at the direct expense of soldiers’ lives. “It is not legitimate to define drawing fire toward fighters as a war objective... without using all available tools to ensure their safety,” they wrote.
They suggested temporary alternatives, including evacuations or expanding shelters and fortified rooms in threatened areas.
“Exploiting our sons — young men who have been fighting for three years in a multi-front war — is a grave injustice,” they added, calling for accountability and an immediate review of operational decisions.
An Israeli report on Wednesday said Hezbollah is not currently capable of launching mass daily barrages toward central Israel, and that many recent projectiles have missed their targets.
However, it retains the ability to wage guerrilla warfare and target Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, where four divisions are operating.
According to Haaretz military analyst Amos Harel, Hezbollah is firing around 200 rockets and drones daily toward northern Israel and Israeli forces — more than many Israelis had expected at the start of the war.
He said the situation is “more complex” than official narratives suggest, adding that Hezbollah has used months of fighting and a ceasefire period since November 2024 to regroup and rebuild its capabilities.
A report in Maariv cited a senior officer who fought in the 2006 Lebanon war as saying current troop levels are insufficient for the political objectives being set.
“Promises of a decisive victory over Hezbollah do not match the reality on the ground,” he stated, warning of a repeat of past scenarios in which Israeli forces come under sustained anti-tank fire in exposed positions.
“A decisive outcome would require greater effort and larger forces,” he added, noting that the war with Iran and ongoing operations in the West Bank continue to stretch military resources.
