Israel’s military to occupy swath of southern Lebanon, defense minister says

TEL AVIV/BEIRUT –

Israel will occupy southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, an area Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday described as a “security zone,” spelling out for the first time Israel’s intent to seize territory amounting to nearly a tenth of the country.

At a meeting with the military chief of staff, Katz said Israeli forces would “control the ​remaining bridges and the security zone up to the Litani,” a river that meets the Mediterranean about 30 km (20 miles) north of Israel’s border.

Lebanon’s Iran-backed ‌Hezbollah said ‌it would fight to prevent Israeli troops from occupying the south, calling such a move an “existential threat” to the Lebanese state.