Israeli army proposes 2–4 km depopulated security strip inside Lebanon: Report

Israel’s Army Radio reported that the Israeli army is preparing to present a plan to political leaders to destroy a 2–4 kilometer-wide strip inside southern Lebanon and establish a depopulated “security zone” along the border.

According to the report, the proposal would involve the complete destruction of frontline villages adjacent to the border and the creation of a buffer area free of residents, with displaced citizens barred from returning to villages along the contact line.

The Israeli military says the plan is driven by concerns that Hezbollah has attempted over the past year to rebuild military infrastructure near the border. It argues that areas within 3 to 4 kilometers of the frontier should be transformed into a controlled zone with forward military positions.

Under the proposal, dozens of villages along the frontline would be entirely demolished, including civilian infrastructure, with a permanent ban on residents' return.

The plan is expected to be presented soon to Israel’s military leadership and political echelon for approval. It was reportedly prepared alongside legal justifications based on claims that the villages were used as “terror infrastructure,” making their civilian structures liable to reuse for military purposes if left standing.

The military also claims that Hezbollah members returned to these villages after the 2024 ceasefire agreement, taking advantage of limited civilian returns and attempting to rebuild underground infrastructure and store weapons.

The proposed model resembles what Israeli officials describe as the “yellow line” in Gaza: a buffer zone, 2 to 4 kilometers deep depending on terrain, under full military control and cleared of residents.

However, the plan reportedly excludes some small Christian villages within the zone, which would not be destroyed and whose residents may be allowed to return despite falling under Israeli security control.

An Israeli officer cited in the report said the proposal differs from the previous security belt in southern Lebanon in the 1980s and 1990s, emphasizing that civilians would not be allowed to live in the area, as their presence could enable Hezbollah to reestablish itself.