The Gaza-fication of Lebanon
Israel's tactics suggest it is seeking the permanent displacement of Lebanese
Southern Lebanon has long been a fraught and contested zone for Israel.
Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982 in response to cross-border attacks by Palestinian militants and occupied much of southern Lebanon for 18 years, until the IDF withdrew in 2000. Six years after that, Israel re-invaded Lebanon as part of a broader military campaign against Hezbollah. Israel (mostly) withdrew that same year as part of a United Nations-brokered ceasefire that included the deployment of thousands of UN peacekeepers to the region. However, following the October 7 attacks and Hezbollah’s decision to join the fight, Israel deployed troops across the border once again. Then, in November 2025, Israel and a severely weakened Hezbollah entered a ceasefire agreement, which mostly held until the outbreak of the Iran War on February 28.
Israel is now back in Lebanon—and the tactics it is using are highly reminiscent of its military campaign in Gaza.
