As the IDF continues to expand the security zone in southern Lebanon, security officials are signalling that the military expects to remain there for many months—possibly years, Ynet reported.

A senior security official said the Lebanese government is incapable of disarming Hezbollah, making a long-term Israeli presence deep inside Lebanon likely. Even if a ceasefire is reached, defense officials do not anticipate a withdrawal.

IDF troops on the ground are operating under intense and constant fire, including artillery, rockets, and anti-tank missiles, with soldiers often receiving only seconds of warning before incoming strikes, leaving little time to reach shelter. Those who are able to take cover inside armored vehicles; others rely on rocks or buildings for protection.

The operation’s goal is to create a deeper buffer zone in southern Lebanon to reduce attacks on northern Israel. While Hezbollah has mostly avoided engaging in close combat, it continues to strike from a distance.

The IDF is also working to establish fire control over the area by destroying infrastructure and clearing weapons caches. Soldiers operating in the area say that the advance is methodical and sometimes slow, with limited direct clashes but persistent threats from indirect fire. “We flatten what we can,” one soldier said. “This is a combat zone that is being reshaped.”

Israel has not formally detailed its long-term objectives in Lebanon, but senior officials have emphasized the importance of expanding the security zone to minimize threats to northern residents, including anti-tank fire and cross-border attacks.

Officials have also spoken of a more expansive goal: clearing weapons from southern Lebanon up to the Litani River and maintaining control over key areas. According to the officials, Hezbollah has suffered setbacks but still retains significant capabilities, including Iranian-supplied weapons delivered in recent months.

Israeli diplomatic officials are making efforts to ensure that any potential ceasefire with Iran does not restrict its operations in Lebanon, while Iran is attempting to link the two fronts. Western diplomats say the US is currently focused on Iran and has given Israel broad operational freedom in Lebanon, provided civilian infrastructure is not targeted. Some officials warn that U.S. pressure could ultimately thwart Israeli actions, but others believe that regional actors may support continued efforts to disarm Hezbollah.

Over 600,000 Lebanese residents have been displaced from southern Lebanon—a development officials say could influence future negotiations by increasing pressure on Hezbollah.

Five soldiers have been killed in southern Lebanon in the past month, and over 30 have been wounded, including six soldiers who were wounded on Sunday alone.

The IDF announced on Monday morning that two soldiers were seriously wounded on Sunday afternoon from Hezbollah anti-tank fire, and another three soldiers were seriously and moderately wounded in a separate incident when a Hezbollah UAV fell near an IDF unit. In a third incident, another soldier was moderately wounded in an operational accident in southern Lebanon.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)