Since the onset of hostilities with Hezbollah nearly nine months ago, Israel’s military operations have resulted in extensive damage to southern Lebanon, The Financial Times reported on Thursday (How Israel is creating a ‘dead zone’ in Lebanon).
The Financial Times reports that in Lebanon’s southern region, over 95,000 people have been forced to flee their homes, according to UN figures. Israeli military actions have resulted in the deaths of more than 90 civilians and 300 Hezbollah fighters, based on FT’s calculations. This Hezbollah death toll surpasses that of the intense month-long Second Lebanon War of 2006.
On the Israeli side, Hezbollah’s attacks on northern areas have claimed the lives of more than two dozen individuals, including both military personnel and civilians. These attacks have also led to the displacement of approximately 60,000 people.
According to the FT, Israeli strikes have targeted not only Hezbollah military positions but also caused widespread destruction to civilian infrastructure, buildings, agricultural lands, and forests. In border towns and villages, entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble.
The majority of the devastation is concentrated within a 5km strip north of the Blue Line, the UN-demarcated border between the two nations. This assessment is based on satellite imagery analysis, radar data, government statistics, and interviews with local officials, researchers, civil defense personnel, and residents.
Financial Times data analysis suggests that as diplomatic talks falter, the Israeli military has employed force to reshape the landscape. Persistent aerial bombardment, artillery fire, and the use of white phosphorus have rendered much of the area within 5km of the Blue Line uninhabitable.
The extensive structural damage, environmental degradation, and economic impact have transformed this strip of land into a de facto “buffer zone” – a strategic objective for Israel in Lebanon. The area is now largely depopulated, with most buildings abandoned and many destroyed.
It should be noted that this alleged buffer zone constitutes 1/6 of the area of south Lebanon that should have been Hezbollah-free according to the 2006 United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 which states clearly, “No armed forces other than UNIFIL and Lebanese Army will be south of the Litani River.” And this Litani River flows east-to-west some 30 Km north of the Israeli border.
According to the Financial Times, Hezbollah continues to conduct daily operations against Israeli targets. The publication, citing analysts, diplomats, and Lebanese officials, suggests that it would be practically unfeasible for the group to withdraw its fighters from the region.
Hezbollah, backed by Iran, holds a dominant position in Lebanon, both militarily and politically. The organization has been deeply integrated into the communities of southern Lebanon for decades, effectively controlling the area. This entrenched presence explains the sentiment expressed by a Hezbollah fighter to the FT: “Asking us to withdraw from the south is like asking a fish not to swim in the sea.”
In other words, to secure the lives of its citizens in the future, Israel must extend the ‘dead zone’ all the way to the Litani, where plenty of fish are swimming.
