Israeli military forces have pushed beyond Lebanon’s Litani River in an expanded ground operation against Hezbollah fighters, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Friday during a border visit.
The advancement occurs while American military officials facilitate discussions between Israeli and Lebanese defense officials in Washington, working to implement a U.S.-mediated peace framework aimed at ending hostilities and dismantling the Iran-supported Hezbollah organization.
These Pentagon meetings also seek to strengthen an April 16 truce agreement that has struggled to stop border violence, as Israeli aircraft continue striking southern and eastern Lebanon while Hezbollah launches drone and rocket attacks against Israel.
Military officials reported this week they had widened ground operations beyond a buffer zone their forces have controlled since April 16. During Friday’s border inspection, Netanyahu announced troops had advanced further, crossing the Litani River that runs east-west approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) into southern Lebanon.
“Our forces have crossed the Litani and advanced to controlling positions,” Netanyahu told military personnel, according to statements from his office.
“We are operating in Beirut, in the Bekaa (Valley), across the entire width of the front, and are dealing Hezbollah a crushing blow.”
Lebanese security officials reported Israeli troops crossed the Litani near Zawtar al-Sharqiyah village Thursday before withdrawing to the river’s southern side later that day. Forces crossed again Friday, though sources described it as a limited advance at an eastern Litani position near the Israeli border.
The Lebanese conflict represents the deadliest expansion of the Iran war, displacing over 1.2 million Lebanese civilians through Israeli airstrikes and evacuation directives since March 2, when Hezbollah began attacking Israel to support Tehran.
Israeli bombardments have devastated Lebanon’s south, east, and capital Beirut since then, resulting in more than 3,200 deaths according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Israel reports 23 soldiers and four civilians killed during the same timeframe.
Initially, Israel commanded residents south of the Litani River to evacuate. Thursday brought new evacuation orders for people south of the Zahrani River — located roughly 10 kilometers north of the Litani — as the military designated that area a combat zone.
Israeli military commander Eyal Zamir told northern command troops Friday they would continue targeting Hezbollah “launch squads” and their operators and leadership at all levels.
“Wherever we identify a threat, we will strike it,” he stated, according to military-released remarks.
At the Pentagon, Israeli and Lebanese military representatives met to examine ceasefire implementation. The two nations agreed May 15 to extend the truce by 45 days, with talks scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. (1200 GMT).
An Israeli source familiar with the discussions said the countries were not expected to address Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold where Israel claims it has largely avoided attacks due to American pressure.
A U.S. official confirmed the Pentagon talks proceeded as planned, stating: “The only path to lasting peace is through direct negotiations between the two sovereign governments.”
Israel and Lebanon have divided their American-facilitated talks into diplomatic and security components. Diplomatic sessions are planned for next week at the State Department.
