Israeli report: Israel plans to demolish border homes in southern Lebanese villages to pressure Hezbollah

Israel's political leadership has approved a military plan to demolish the 'first row' of homes in Lebanese villages along the border with Israel, according to a report by the Israeli Broadcasting Authority.

The report said the measure would be carried out alongside a political negotiation track with Lebanon, in what Israeli officials view as a way to exert direct pressure on the Lebanese government to curb the influence of Hezbollah.

Citing sources familiar with the plan, the report said Israel intends to conduct organized demolition operations targeting buildings close to the border while diplomatic contacts with the Lebanese side continue. Israeli officials believe such steps could push the Lebanese state to adopt stricter measures to limit Hezbollah's activity in border areas.

According to the sources, residents of several Lebanese villages near the border have already evacuated large parts of those areas, which could facilitate the planned demolitions. After destroying the first row of houses, Israel is expected to deploy military forces in those border zones.

The report added that Hezbollah is relying on the assessment that the Israeli army did not operate extensively during the previous war along the second and third lines of villages in South Lebanon, leaving parts of its military infrastructure intact, particularly in private properties that the Lebanese Army did not fully address.

If a ground maneuver takes place, Hezbollah is expected to rely on tactics including anti-tank missiles, improvised explosive devices, and guerrilla warfare, as well as surprise attacks against Israeli forces.

The report also noted that Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has reiterated the demand for the release of Lebanese detainees held in Israeli prisons, raising the possibility that the group could seek to capture Israeli soldiers as leverage in future negotiations.

Regarding the potential impact of any ground escalation on the initiative launched by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun for direct negotiations with Israel, the report quoted a Western source in Beirut as saying that Lebanon's leadership appears determined to push the diplomatic track forward, despite facing conflicting pressures that complicate the country's internal political landscape.