Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his country’s military to further expand invasions of southern Lebanon, as regional tensions spike amid the US-Israel war on Iran.
“I have just instructed to further expand the existing security buffer zone. We are determined to fundamentally change the situation in the north of Israel,” Netanyahu said in a video statement from the Northern Command on Sunday, pushing forward his country’s stated bid to replicate the “Gaza model” of occupation.
Push to expand ‘buffer zone’
Netanyahu said the move is part of efforts to strengthen Israel’s security along its northern border. The expansion of the so-called buffer zone comes as Israeli troops continue operations in southern Lebanon amid ongoing tensions.
מהצהרתי מפיקוד צפון:
הנחיתי כעת להרחיב עוד יותר את רצועת הביטחון הקיימת. אנחנו נחושים לשנות את המצב בצפון מיסודו ולהחזיר את הביטחון לתושבי הצפון.
לא נשלים עם מציאות של איום מתמשך על יישובינו ואזרחינו. נמשיך לפעול בעוצמה, בנחישות ובאחריות עד שנשיג את המטרה.
צפו בהצהרה >> pic.twitter.com/4AUUV71ZGa
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 29, 2026
He said the decision reflects Israel’s intention to alter the current security reality in the region.
Rising tensions along northern border
The announcement comes during a period of increased cross-border hostilities between Israel and armed groups in Lebanon, raising concerns about a wider regional escalation.
The Guardian reported that the latest move signals a continued hardening of Israel’s military posture along the frontier, where clashes have intensified in recent weeks.
