Israeli soldiers cross the Litani River in Lebanon: How important is it? | | Israel attacks Lebanon News

The Israeli army has reached the outskirts of the southern Lebanese city Nabatieh and held strategic Photos of Beaufort Castle although the ceasefire agreement was in place since April, as experts warn that Israel is laying the foundations for a long-term control of the interior of Lebanon.

The advance marks the largest Israeli intervention in Lebanon in more than 100 years. Israeli forces now occupy about 2,000 square kilometers (770 square miles) of Lebanese territory – about one-fifth of the country.

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Israel initially said its goal was to remove Hezbollah fighters from areas south of the Litani River near its border. But his forces are now operating beyond this line, and the Israeli army is issuing orders to move as far north as the Zahrani River (about 10km or 6 miles north of the Litani River), further expanding its military authority.

Israeli forces have reached the towns of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and Choukine outside Nabatieh – a stronghold of Hezbollah – as Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that an Israeli strike on Deir ez-Zahrani early Sunday killed several people.

The North’s advance comes as Israeli and Lebanese officials continue talks with the US to end the conflict, while outlining plans to reduce Hezbollah’s weapons, which have stalled talks between Israel and Israel.

Meanwhile, the truce between Washington and Tehran has been closely linked to what is happening on the Lebanese front, with Iranian officials warning that Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon is essential for negotiations between the two countries to end the US-Israel conflict in Iran.

Why does Nabatieh matter

The continued movement into southern Lebanon follows evacuation orders in Nabatieh earlier this week, as well as similar orders in the city of Tyre.

“The (Israeli army) forces are operating near Nabatieh, which is Hezbollah’s powerhouse in southern Lebanon, and are ready and willing to escalate the pain if necessary,” the Israeli army said in a statement on X.

Imad Salamey, a professor of international relations at the Lebanese American University, told Al Jazeera that the importance of the city goes beyond military considerations.

“Nabatieh is very important because it represents more than a military base; it is one of the main political, economic, and cultural centers of the Lebanese Shia community and a point of contact between southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut,” he told Al Jazeera.

“In war, Nabatieh’s control would give Israel operational depth beyond the Litani River, leading to pressure on Hezbollah’s command, control, and support networks throughout southern Lebanon.

“However, politically, the implications are far greater. The move to Nabatieh may indicate that Israel’s goals have changed from the original goal of pushing Hezbollah north of Litani to an expanded campaign to destroy (Hezbollah) all areas and groups.”

Salamey said the evacuation of residents of Nabatieh and Tire could weaken Hezbollah’s morale and reshape the social and political landscape of southern Lebanon.

Souhayb Jawhar, a Lebanese journalist and expert, told Al Jazeera that the Israeli army’s arrival in Nabatieh will mark a major change in the war.

“Israel’s control, or its encirclement, would represent a major change because it would shift the war from the border to the political and cultural center of southern Lebanon,” he said.

“This could mean increasing their migration, weakening government institutions in the south, damaging Hezbollah’s image as a force capable of defending its territory, and opening the door to new security forces that could go beyond the goal of pushing Hezbollah to regain control of the south.”

The importance of Beaufort Castle

To the east, Israeli forces pushed north along the valley overlooking the Litani River valley and captured Beaufort Castle, a Crusader-era hilltop fortress.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the Golani Brigade crossed the Litani River and captured the area.

The fence is located 15km (9 miles) from the Israeli border and overlooks large areas of southern Lebanon. Israeli forces occupied the site for nearly two decades before withdrawing from Lebanon in 2000.

Salamey said the capture of the fortress would give Israel both military and symbolic advantages. “The capture of Beaufort Castle is very important because it overlooks large areas of southern Lebanon and provides the advantage of observation and fire control over the surrounding area,” he said.

“Historically, the site has been associated with the most intense Israeli-Palestinian conflicts and the Hezbollah militant group, making it both militarily useful and symbolically powerful.”

This location overlooks the roads connecting southern Lebanon and the western Bekaa Valley and provides a commanding view of the area around Nabatieh, giving the Israeli military greater control over the movement.

The flight rules continue to Litani

At the end of the week, the Israeli army warned people living south of the Zahrani river to leave immediately. The order is important because the Zahrani River is just north of the Litani River, which Israel has previously designated as the border of the areas it sought to remove Hezbollah forces from.

In a statement sent on X, the spokeswoman for the Israeli army, Ella Waweya, said that the operation was aimed at “destroying the damage of terrorism and eliminating the destroyers” while strengthening Israeli control in southern Lebanon.

The proliferation of refugee camps has raised questions about Israel’s long-term goals.

“If the goal was only to remove the Hezbollah army from the areas south of Litani, operations would have been limited to this area,” Salamey said.

“Expanding military operations and deporting people to the north may indicate efforts to establish a deeper security belt, establish conditions for long-term territorial control, or gain political advantage in the future.”

Jawhar said the influx of refugees also showed that Israel’s intentions extended beyond the Litani River.

“This shows that Israel does not only want to push Hezbollah fighters with short arrows away from the border, but also to attack the party’s soldiers, operational equipment and law enforcement in southern Lebanon,” he said.

“In practical terms, this means that the concept of a ‘security belt’ could be extended from the Litani line to something similar to the deep Zahrani access point, although this has not been officially announced.”

Jawhar’s assessment comes as Israeli politicians increasingly point to a permanent military presence.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich hailed the confiscation of Beaufort Castle as a correction of what he described as past mistakes. He said that he would continue to promote “the general mentality of the people and the special violence of the war”.

“For every drone that explodes, 10 buildings must fall in Beirut. Israel must change the equation,” he said.

What it means in Lebanon

Analysts say the military escalation is also hindering the Lebanese government’s efforts to strengthen government control and negotiate a lasting peace.

Jawhar said that Israel’s actions showed intentions that went beyond its goal of removing Hezbollah from areas south of the Litani River. “If that was the only goal, there would be no need to move on to Litani or give orders to move to Zahrani,” he said.

“These developments show that Israel wants to eliminate Hezbollah, create a destroyed or depopulated environment that reduces the group’s ability to operate, and impose new political principles before any political or security negotiations.”

He said Israel may not want a permanent occupation similar to the one it maintained in southern Lebanon between 1982 and 2000, but instead a long-term military plan through safe havens, monitoring and freedom of action within Lebanese territory.

Filippo Dionigi, a professor of international relations at the University of Bristol, told Al Jazeera that Israel’s continued attacks risk weakening the Lebanese government – and perhaps inadvertently strengthening Hezbollah’s influence.

“If Israel follows the end of the war, then the Lebanese government can say that its negotiations are bearing fruit that benefit Lebanon. But this is not happening,” he said.

Instead, the continued military campaign risks bolstering Hezbollah’s claim that armed resistance is essential, he added.

“Israel is attacking Lebanon, it undermines the legitimacy of the government and the legitimacy of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel,” said Dionigi.

“At the same time, it reaffirms the legitimacy of Hezbollah’s war against Israel.”