Defense Minister Israel Katz has signaled a shift in the military campaign against Hezbollah, announcing plans to mirror the destruction seen in Gaza across southern Lebanon. By ordering the demolition of border villages and bridges, the Israeli government aims to create a security buffer, drawing sharp condemnation from rights organizations.
Katz stated that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have directed the Israel Defense Forces to destroy all bridges over the Litani River to block the movement of Hezbollah fighters and weaponry. Beyond infrastructure, the directive includes the systematic leveling of Lebanese border villages, explicitly citing the operations in Beit Hanoun and Rafah as the operational standard.
This approach has drawn immediate backlash. Dylan Williams of the Center for International Policy characterized the strategy as an overt admission of intent to commit ethnic cleansing. Human Rights Watch noted that the policy suggests a broader pattern of forced displacement and civilian harm, echoing patterns documented in the Gaza Strip. According to the organization, the indefinite prevention of civilian returns based on ill-defined safety standards may constitute a war crime.
Lebanese authorities report that at least 1,024 people have been killed since hostilities escalated in March, with over 1 million civilians already displaced from southern regions and Beirut’s suburbs. While the Israeli military maintains that these measures are necessary to secure its northern border, humanitarian observers argue that the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the forced evacuation of populations violate international law. Ramzi Kaiss of Human Rights Watch emphasized that third-party nations supplying military aid risk complicity in these actions, urging an end to the impunity that has allowed such campaigns to persist.
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