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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced during the opening of the Political-Security Cabinet session that the Israeli army is working to deepen its operations in Lebanon, noting that this step is being taken under direct guidelines from him and the Defense Minister.
\nNetanyahu said: “Under guidelines from myself and the Defense Minister, we are deepening our operations in Lebanon,” confirming that Israeli forces are operating “with large forces on the ground in South Lebanon” and are controlling what he described as “strategic areas.”<\/p>\n
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He added that Israel is working to reinforce what he called a “security belt” in Lebanon with the aim of protecting northern towns, implying an expansion of Israel’s military margin of movement inside Lebanese territory, coinciding with the escalation of field operations across more than one southern axis.<\/p>\n
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Netanyahu touched upon the threat of kamikaze drones, saying that Israel is exerting “immense efforts to develop creative and innovative solutions” to counter them, in light of the increasing use of this type of attack against Israeli forces and northern settlements.
\nNetanyahu’s statements come at an extremely sensitive operational moment, with Israeli media discussing the expansion of ground operations in South Lebanon and bypassing what is known as the “Yellow Line” on some axes, alongside repeated Israeli warnings to residents of southern towns to evacuate and move north.<\/p>\n
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These stances reflect a shift in Israeli rhetoric from talking about localized strikes to adopting a broader approach based on deepening ground operations and reinforcing a security zone inside Lebanon. This shift raises the risk levels because it opens the door to wider clashes deeper in the south, especially in the areas of Nabatiyeh, Bint Jbeil, and the Litani axes.<\/p>\n
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Furthermore, Netanyahu’s focus on kamikaze drones reflects the volume of pressure these means impose on the Israeli army, after they transformed into one of the most prominent elements of the confrontation, whether in targeting vehicles, gatherings, or field communication sites.<\/p>\n
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Domestically within Israel, Netanyahu’s statements come amid escalating political pressure from the far-right and from the residents of the north, who are demanding a broader resolution on the Lebanese front. Therefore, his call to deepen operations appears to be an attempt to combine a military response on the ground with absorbing internal criticism regarding the security of northern settlements.<\/p>\n
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