Israel expanding presence in Lebanon, officials say, as BBC visits occupied areas

What the report says

BBC World News reports that Israeli forces are deepening their footprint in occupied parts of southern Lebanon, according to officials and UN peacekeepers. A BBC team joined a UNIFIL humanitarian convoy last month, one of the few ways to enter the area, and saw demolished villages, Israeli flags marking occupied territory, soldiers using residential buildings, and new roads and fortifications near the border with Israel. The reporting says the Israeli-controlled strip covers about 5% of Lebanese territory and in some places extends roughly 10 km into the country.

UNIFIL said it has observed consolidation of Israeli positions, construction of protective infrastructure and engineering work, and said there appear to be Israeli civilians assisting demolition and related activities in support of military operations. The article also notes UNIFIL’s claim that Israel has established four new bases in the invaded areas, bringing the total to nine. Israeli forces have remained at five points since the end of the 2024 conflict, which the piece says was in violation of the ceasefire deal.

Israel says its goal is to create a security zone to shield northern Israeli communities from Hezbollah rockets and drones, and its military told BBC that destroyed buildings were used by Hezbollah for military purposes and that it was acting under international law. Lebanese intelligence officials quoted by BBC said Israel has continued ceasefire violations, including airstrikes, drone attacks and incursions. The situation matters because hundreds of thousands of Lebanese remain displaced and the wider political track linking a withdrawal to Hezbollah disarmament has stalled.