The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have taken up several forward positions inside southern Lebanon, saying the move is part of efforts to bolster defences along the northern frontier amid a rapidly escalating regional confrontation involving Iran, the United States and Hezbollah.
Northern front: IDF bolsters positions in southern Lebanon
Tel Aviv has seized a number of control points in the border area on Lebanese territory as part of what it described as a strengthened defensive posture on its northern front.
In a statement, the army said that alongside its ongoing Operation “Roar of the Lion” in Iran, Israeli troops were operating in southern Lebanon and had been deployed to several positions close to the frontier under a concept of reinforced forward defence.
Earlier, IDF spokesperson Nadav Shoshani insisted that Israel was not preparing a ground invasion of Lebanon, amid reports that the Shia movement Hezbollah could formally join the widening hostilities.
According to the IDF chief of staff, Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, Israel intends to continue military operations against Hezbollah until what he described as the threat emanating from Lebanese territory is eliminated.
Strikes on Iran: Escalation between Israel and Tehran
The developments come against the backdrop of a dramatic escalation between Israel and Iran. On February 28, explosions were reported in Tehran and several other Iranian cities. Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said the IDF had carried out a pre-emptive strike on Iran, adding that preparations for the attack had been conducted in coordination with the United States over the past four months.
Subsequently, US president Donald Trump announced a large-scale military campaign dubbed “Epic Fury” against Iran, saying the operation was aimed at Tehran’s nuclear and missile programmes.
Iranian state authorities later confirmed that the country’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, had been killed in the joint US-Israeli strikes. The government declared 40 days of national mourning and announced a week-long public holiday.
Civilian casualties and regional fallout
A number of civilian sites were also reported to have been hit during the strikes by Israeli and American forces. Among them was a girls’ school in the city of Minab. According to local officials, more than 150 children were killed in the attack.
In response, Tehran launched missiles and drones at US military bases across the Middle East. The conflict has reverberated across neighbouring states, with explosions reported in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, raising fears of a broader regional war.
