Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s call to occupy half of Lebanon, setting the Litani River as a new boundary, comes as Israel intensifies a systematic campaign targeting critical infrastructure in southern Lebanon, a strategy that is increasingly raising concerns over its military objectives and legal implications.
The remarks, made amid ongoing military operations, coincide with a growing pattern of strikes on key transport routes, particularly bridges linking southern Lebanon to the rest of the country.
A Systematic Campaign Targeting Connectivity
The targeted bridges, including Qasmiyeh, Zrariyeh, and Khardali crossings, are not only transport routes but also vital economic and humanitarian arteries.
They connect coastal cities such as Sidon and Tyre to inland regions, enabling the movement of civilians, goods, and emergency services. Their destruction is increasingly isolating areas south of the Litani, raising concerns over access to food, medical care, and basic supplies.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has openly acknowledged ordering the destruction of all bridges over the Litani, framing the move as part of efforts to cut off Hezbollah’s operational capabilities.
However, the scale and pattern of the strikes suggest a broader objective, one that extends beyond immediate military targets to altering the geographic and logistical landscape of southern Lebanon.
Political Signals Point to Broader Territorial Ambitions
The escalation on the ground has been accompanied by increasingly explicit political rhetoric.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the Litani River to serve as Israel’s northern boundary, advocating for the occupation of large parts of southern Lebanon.
“Just as we control 55% of Gaza, we should do the same in Lebanon,” he said, in remarks that have intensified fears of a long-term shift in territorial dynamics.
Observers say such statements, combined with the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese civilians, may reflect an effort to establish a new security buffer zone through military pressure and demographic change.
A War Expanding in Duration and Scope
The developments come as Israeli military officials signal a prolonged conflict.
Army spokesperson Effie Defrin said Israel expects weeks of continued fighting against both Iran and Hezbollah, while Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir described the confrontation with Hezbollah as a “long war” that will persist even beyond the Iranian front.
Despite sustained Israeli air operations, Iran has continued launching missile strikes, some of which have penetrated Israeli air defenses and caused significant damage in cities such as Dimona and Arad.
Lebanon Caught in a Widening Conflict
The war, which began on February 28 with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and expanded to Lebanon on March 2 following Hezbollah attacks, has already taken a heavy toll.
Lebanese authorities report over 1,000 deaths, including civilians, while more than one million people have been displaced, with at least 130,000 sheltering in collective centers.
At the same time, Israeli forces have expanded ground operations in southern Lebanon, deploying additional divisions and advancing deeper into border areas.
Beyond immediate military objectives, the systematic targeting of bridges and transport networks is reshaping southern Lebanon’s connectivity, raising the prospect of prolonged isolation.
Coupled with political calls for territorial expansion and indications of a long war ahead, these developments suggest the conflict is moving toward a more entrenched and potentially transformative phase, one that could redefine both the geography of the battlefield and the future of the region.
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