Israeli army forces operate in southern Lebanon, near the Israeli border, during the ongoing war with Iran and Hezbollah and missile fire toward Israel, March 18, 2026. (Photo by Ayal Margolin/Flash90)
The conflict with Hezbollah will probably outlast the Iran war, say defense insiders.
By World Israel News Staff
Israel will retain a security perimeter in southern Lebanon even after the end of its current fighting with Hezbollah, according to defense sources.
Speaking to The Jerusalem Post, Israeli security insiders said securing the territory — long used as a launching ground for Hezbollah attacks on Israel — will not necessarily require permanently stationing large numbers of troops in southern Lebanon.
Instead, defense sources said the IDF would deploy a mix of sensors, surveillance, air power, artillery, tanks, and ground troops across parts of southern Lebanon to keep Hezbollah out — without maintaining fixed positions throughout the area.
The sources added that the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah does not have a defined time limit and is likely to continue longer than the U.S.-Israel war against Iran.
According to the Post report, the Israeli military is not currently planning to establish permanent IDF bases inside southern Lebanese territory.
The current conflict traces back to the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacres in southern Israel. Just one day after the deadliest terror attack in Israeli history, Hezbollah launched an unprovoked campaign, firing explosive drones, rockets, and missiles at northern Israeli communities on a near-daily basis.
A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was brokered by the Biden administration in November 2024 after more than a year of fighting. Hezbollah has largely refused to adhere to the terms of the agreement and has ignored a Lebanese government resolution requiring it to disarm, instead pledging it would never do so.
Israel escalated its operations against the Iranian-backed group following the outbreak of the broader Iran war in February. Widely considered the most advanced of Iran’s Shiite proxy forces in the Middle East, Hezbollah has long posed a significant threat along Israel’s northern border.
Past conflicts dating back to the late 1970s have seen Israel establish security zones in southern Lebanon in an effort to rein in Hezbollah, only to withdraw years later.
More than 200 mine-like objects were removed, although U.S. officials said only 11 were actual…
Recent UNICEF assessments have indicated lower levels of acute malnutrition among young children.
As the High Holidays inch closer and the time for repentance nears, thousands of Jews…
Barnea said Trump 'understands very well that the radical Iranian regime must not be left…
Citing data from the Pew Research Center, a statement from the coalition noted that more…
Elkanah Bohbot survived 738 days in captivity.