IDF officials said they would be unable to disarm Hezbollah, as doing so would require occupying all of Lebanon, adding that only the Lebanese state could disarm the group.
In the coming days, the IDF plans to present the political leadership with a proposal to establish a “security zone” in southern Lebanon, reaching 2–3 kilometers from the Israeli border. Under the plan, no military outposts would be built in the area, and most civilians living in its villages would be evacuated to prevent friction between troops and the civilian population.
The officials added that a potential cease-fire in Iran should not be linked to a halt in fighting in Lebanon, which is expected to persist. The military aims to ensure that Hezbollah operatives do not return to villages within the security zone. It remains unclear whether the army plans to completely demolish all homes in the area or allow residents to return at a later stage.
The military estimates that Hezbollah still possesses several thousand rockets, mostly short-range. So far, the IDF says, few operatives have been seen in the villages closest to the border, but infrastructure used by the group and weapons have been found. Some of these were not uncovered throughout the war in Lebanon that began in late 2023, while others were added later, indicating Hezbollah’s efforts to rebuild.