Israeli troops moved through the mud of Ayta ash-Shab on Sunday, the first journalists allowed into southern Lebanon since Hezbollah resumed rocket fire last month, escorted in Eitan armored personnel carriers to a military outpost in a village still scarred from decades of conflict.
The visit came during a fragile 10-day ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump, following over 40 days of fighting that had displaced thousands along the border. Israeli officials say the deployment — now involving five divisions and naval forces — is not a return to the 1982-2000 occupation but a necessary buffer to stop Hezbollah’s anti-tank guided missiles from reaching towns like Shtula and Zarit.
Yet the map released by the IDF shows the new “forward defense line” closely mirrors the vintage security zone abandoned in 2000, and extends into Lebanese waters to absorb the Qana gas field — a prospect once central to a US-brokered maritime deal now clouded by doubts over its viability.
Israeli commanders insist the zone is defensive, not occupational
Colonel Arik Moyal of the Nahal Infantry Brigade told reporters the mission is simple: keep terrorists far enough from the border that Israeli mothers can walk their children to kindergarten without fear. He dismissed semantics, saying whether it’s called a security zone or forward defense area doesn’t change the tactical goal — eliminating direct fire threats.
This echoes the justification used during the 1985-2000 occupation, when Israel similarly claimed its presence in southern Lebanon was to protect northern communities. Then, as now, the military argued it was creating space to prevent infiltrations and rocket launches.
But unlike the earlier period, which saw 675 Israeli soldiers killed over 18 years, officials say improved intelligence, precision strikes, and the leverage of armored Eitan carriers reduce the risk to troops today. The IDF avoids calling it an occupation, framing it instead as a temporary, conditions-based buffer.
The maritime extension raises questions beyond security
The IDF’s map includes a maritime buffer zone that overlaps with Lebanon’s Qana gas field, whose exploration rights were guaranteed under a 2022 US-mediated agreement. That deal had aimed to unlock offshore energy potential after Israel’s own gas discoveries transformed its energy outlook.
Yet experts note the Qana prospect yielded no commercial reserves — TotalEnergies abandoned Block 9 in 2023 after finding nothing viable. Attention has shifted to Block 8, which lies beyond the current IDF map and remains a target for French energy firm Total.
Still, analysts like Dunia Başol of Bar-Ilan University argue the inclusion of Qana in the buffer zone is unlikely to be incidental. Even if the field is dry, the precedent of linking security zones to economic assets raises concerns about long-term motives, especially as Israel signals it has no plans to withdraw soon.
Diplomatic efforts continue amid escalating deployments
The ground push coincides with US-backed talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials aimed at preventing a wider war, though prospects remain dim without Hezbollah’s disarmament — a step Lebanon has shown no willingness to take without regional incentives.
Naval forces are operating alongside the five brigades, suggesting a coordinated effort to monitor the coast and support ground operations, not just defend the border. The simultaneous deployment across multiple sectors indicates a shift from sporadic raids to a sustained presence.
Displaced Lebanese villagers have begun returning to towns like Tayr Felsay and Qasmiyeh, walking across destroyed bridges under the watch of Lebanese soldiers — a fragile sign of normalcy amid an evolving military reality that blurs the line between defense and control.
How many Israeli troops are currently deployed in southern Lebanon?
The Times of Israel reported five IDF divisions — totaling tens of thousands of troops — are stationed in the new security zone, though exact numbers were not disclosed.
Why does Israel say it needs this buffer zone?
Israeli officials state the goal is to remove Hezbollah’s ability to launch direct fire — particularly anti-tank guided missiles — at northern Israeli communities, allowing residents to live without constant threat.
Is the Qana gas field actually producing natural gas?
No. TotalEnergies announced in 2023 that it found no commercial gas reserves in the Qana prospect (Block 9) and abandoned the area. exploration focus has shifted to Block 8, which lies outside the current IDF-mapped zone.
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