Yedioth Ahronoth: The Israeli army has divided its areas of control in southern Lebanon into 3 lines
The Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported on Sunday that Israel has divided the part of southern Lebanon it controls into three lines, following the ceasefire agreement between it and Beirut.
Yediot Aharonot stated that the so-called red line refers to the first row of villages located directly on the Israeli-Lebanese border.
The newspaper added that most of the buildings there had already been destroyed, and that no members of the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah remained in the area.
In some locations, Israeli ground forces had established fixed positions.
The Israeli newspaper reported that the yellow line extends between 6 and 10 kilometers from the border.
Israel has also implemented the concept of the yellow line in the Gaza Strip, half of which it has occupied since the ceasefire in October 2015.
The Israeli newspaper added that Israeli ground forces are still deployed in this area, and sporadic clashes are still taking place, including around Hezbollah’s stronghold in Bint Jbeil.
The third line extends to the Litani River, which is located about 30 kilometers from the border.
Yediot Aharonot indicates that the army is seeking to impose its control in that region primarily through firepower and observation points.
For its part, the Israeli army initially declined to comment on the report when asked.
Ground forces are deployed in an area up to 10 kilometers wide.
The army’s objective in this Lebanese region, which includes dozens of villages, is reportedly to prevent shelling of northern Israel, particularly with rockets.
Netanyahu declared a buffer zone, and when announcing a 10-day ceasefire with Lebanon last Thursday, Netanyahu said the Israeli army must remain in a reinforced security zone in southern Lebanon.
This barrier stretches from the Mediterranean Sea to the Syrian border and is approximately 10 kilometers wide, and its purpose is to protect northern Israeli towns from Hezbollah attacks.
