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Israel is considering a plan to destroy civilian infrastructure in Lebanese towns and villages within 2 to 3 kilometers of its border in order to create a buffer zone, an Israeli military official said.
The official said the proposal is one of several the military is considering as it charts a path forward in its war against Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group that operates from southern Lebanon.
The proposal would need to be approved by Israel’s political leadership, which has already indicated a preference for carrying out widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure to establish a buffer zone, mimicking similar actions in Gaza.
“Homes in Lebanese villages near the border, which effectively serve as Hezbollah outposts, will be demolished in accordance with the Rafah and Khan Younis model in Gaza, in order to remove the threat to Israeli communities,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Friday.
The widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure without clear militarily necessity is considered a violation of international law.
Israeli officials have been drip-feeding updates on its military’s plans in Lebanon, many of which include plans to go deeper into southern Lebanon, they say, to thwart the threat of a Hezbollah invasion.
The military is currently holding positions up to 10 kilometers deep in Lebanon, another Israeli military official previously told CNN.
More than 80 towns and villages have been emptied, more than 15% of the country’s population has been displaced, and more than 1,300 people have been killed by Israeli strikes, with thousands more wounded, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
In a briefing with foreign press on Friday, Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said in a few days the military will be able to say it has established “defensive lines relevant to preventing direct fire towards the communities of northern Israel,” without elaborating.
“We’re committed to the long-term objective of disarming Hezbollah. There’s also a short-term objective right now for moving threats,” he added.
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