Unannounced buffer zone: Israel remains in seven positions in South Lebanon, establishes two buffer zones

Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi 

Just meters from a Lebanese Army checkpoint, the southern town of Dhayra cannot be reached. 

From Yarine, the destruction in Dhayra can be seen, with Israeli military positions overlooking the ruins. 

Despite the Israeli withdrawal from most of southern Lebanon nearly ten days ago, dozens of families remain unable to return to their towns, including Aalma. This is despite the fact that this area was not among the five points where Israeli forces officially announced they would maintain their presence.  

According to maps of the western sector, Israel has established two buffer zones. 

The first stretches from the outskirts of Aalma to Yarine, passing through Upper Dhayra. The second is in the eastern sector, extending from the Odaisseh-Kfarkela road through Tell en Nhas to the outskirts of Tallet El Hamames. 

These newly formed buffer zones come in addition to the five positions that Israeli forces still hold: Tallet Labbouneh, Jabal Balat, Jabal al-Bat, Maroun El Ras, and Tallet El Hamames.  

In addition to these seven occupied positions, multiple military and field sources confirm that Israeli forces have blocked access to homes and lands in various liberated villages near the border wall and their military outposts. 

Lebanese citizens attempting to return to their properties have been met with gunfire or stun grenades. Even the Lebanese Army has been unable to reclaim all its border positions and re-establish control.  

Effectively, these areas—along with the restricted access to surrounding villages—have created an unofficial buffer zone, designed to reassure Israeli settlers before their return to northern Israel.  

However, beyond the imposition of this buffer zone, the greater concern is Israel's continued freedom of movement in Lebanese airspace and its ability to conduct strikes anywhere, from south of the Litani River to the Bekaa Valley. There is growing fear that this military reality will persist even after Israeli forces complete their withdrawal from the remaining occupied hills and areas.