Israel Rejects Lebanon Pullout, Keeps IDF Buffer Zone After March 2 Cease-Fire
Updated
Updated · Haaretz · Jun 21
Israel Rejects Lebanon Pullout, Keeps IDF Buffer Zone After March 2 Cease-Fire
3 articles · Updated · Haaretz · Jun 21
Summary
Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli troops will stay in the southern Lebanon buffer zone "as long as necessary," formalizing Israel's rejection of a post-cease-fire withdrawal.
The IDF chief called the Israel-Hezbollah truce fragile and said forces must stay ready for renewed combat, threat elimination and a rapid return to operations.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem answered that Israel will not remain in Lebanon and said the group would respond to any violation, underscoring the risk of the cease-fire unraveling.
UNIFIL reported no IDF strikes in southern Lebanon for the first time since fighting began on March 2, though it still recorded drone airspace violations and no attacks or launches.
As Israel builds its buffer zone, is a wider war with Iran now inevitable?
With Iran's proxies weakened and UNIFIL leaving, is Israel permanently redrawing the map of southern Lebanon?
Has the war truly neutralized Iran's nuclear threat, or just driven it deeper underground?
Southern Lebanon 2026: Israel’s Expanded Buffer Zone, Humanitarian Fallout, and the Geopolitical Standoff
Overview
After the March 2, 2026 ceasefire, Israel kept a strong military presence in southern Lebanon instead of withdrawing, expanding a buffer zone known as the 'Yellow Line' up to 10 kilometers inside Lebanese territory. This move followed intense fighting, with Hezbollah launching hundreds of rockets and drones into Israel, causing civilian and military casualties on both sides. Israel justified its continued occupation and the creation of the buffer zone by citing ongoing security threats from Hezbollah. The situation has led to widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis, raising serious concerns about Lebanese sovereignty and the risk of renewed conflict.