The Mediterranean highway that once buzzed with travellers now lies silent, sandwiched between Israel’s military checkpoints and the ruins of Lebanese villages. Cameras captured an Israeli soldier stationed near a ruined residential building that once belonged to the town of Naqoura, a clear marker of the country’s expanded presence in the region.
Only a handful of Lebanese troops remain at a single checkpoint, painted in the national flag’s colors, yet the air above is thick with surveillance drones. Beyond the checkpoint, the road opens onto a stretch of territory that Israel now controls – a 10‑kilometre corridor that houses new military bases and is barred to civilians except by decree.
According to Israeli officials, the move creates a "security zone" designed to shield northern Israeli towns from Hezbollah’s rocket and drone attacks. Hezbollah, a designated terrorist organization by many countries, has long backed its fighters from the southern fringe, but has not launched attacks on Israel after the recent ceasefire.
The UN peacekeeping force, Unifil, has escorted a convoy of civilians through the area, a rare glimpse into the lives of those caught in the crossfire. Finnish troops leading the convoy navigated roads littered with Israeli‑built service lanes and net‑covered homes, highlighting the entrenchment of the occupying forces.
Earlier this month, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that the military would prepare for a long‑term presence, a statement that followed a broader campaign of demolitions and air strikes that continued even after a ceasefire was declared.
Human rights groups warn that the systematic razing of villages and the ongoing bombardment could constitute war crimes, with thousands of displaced Lebanese forced to remain in exile because their homes lie in the occupied corridor.
Political maneuvering within Lebanon and Israel presses on. While Israel expects Hezbollah’s disarmament as a condition for withdrawal, the Lebanese government cannot enforce it without the group’s consent. A U‑S‑brokered agreement proposes that Israeli forces retreat from marked “pilot zones” once Hezbollah is verified as disarmed – a plan that appears stalled by both sides’ hard‑line stances and the impending Israeli elections.
