A shifting battlefield: Israel’s evolving rules of engagement in Lebanon

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

Israel extended its state of emergency across its territory for one and a half months, following a military recommendation approved by the government on Monday, citing concerns over possible military developments that it says Iran could draw the region into.

As nearly 1,000 days have passed since the October 7 war, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir issued new warnings to Hezbollah and granted soldiers authority to open fire immediately on anyone deemed a threat.

The Israeli military, meanwhile, is preparing for a prolonged stay in Lebanon, with Israel’s positions now outlined in a series of firm conditions. 

These include no withdrawal from the security belt unless Hezbollah is weakened, not only disarmed; no withdrawal at this stage from two “experimental zones,” pending what Israel describes as appropriate conditions, with no set timeline for implementation; and no transition to a second phase involving pilot areas before the Lebanese Army and government demonstrate their ability to enforce the agreement. 

Israel also said there would be no return of residents to villages and towns in southern Lebanon at this stage, and no reduction in troop levels amid expectations of possible escalation involving Iran and Hezbollah.

Israeli security recommendations also place responsibility on the Lebanese government for any violations of the agreement.

At the same time, Hezbollah’s tunnel network remains a central concern for Israeli military and security agencies. 

Despite intensive efforts, Israeli forces have not succeeded in fully destroying the tunnels, with orders in place prohibiting soldiers from entering them due to fears of ambushes. 

As a result, Israel has resorted to demolishing the tunnels using explosives without being able to fully assess the damage up close, in operations similar to those carried out in Majdal Zoun, where hundreds of tons of explosives were used.