ZIBQIN VALLEY, Lebanon: In the unstable region that saw the 14-month conflict between Israel and the militant organization Hezbollah, the Lebanese army has stepped up its efforts near the border with Israel. Formerly a Hezbollah stronghold, parts of the territory north of the Israeli border and south of the Litani River were off-limits to the Lebanese national army and UN peacekeepers stationed there.
However, according to several senior army officers, since a ceasefire ended the Israel-Hezbollah conflict a year ago, Lebanon’s army has increased its presence along the border to almost 10,000 troops, closed 11 crossing points used for smuggling along the Litani River, and is dealing with massive amounts of unexploded ordnance.
On Friday, the army gave a tour of the untamed border region to dozens of journalists from both domestic and foreign media sources. Where Hezbollah used to have a significant military presence, its troops were visible.
Since the truce in November 2024, Israel has conducted nearly daily airstrikes, primarily targeting Hezbollah militants but also killing 127 civilians, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ office. Since last November, only one strike on an Israeli military position has been attributed to Hezbollah. According to the group, there is no longer an armed presence near the border, south of the Litani River.
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