FLASH
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Israel is considering a plan to destroy civilian infrastructure in Lebanese towns and villages within a 2 to 3 kilometer radius of its border, with the aim of creating a buffer zone, an Israeli military official said.
He stressed that this proposal is one of several that the military is considering as it charts a path forward in its fight against Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group operating from southern Lebanon.
The proposal would have to be approved by Israel's political leadership, which has already shown a preference for carrying out widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure to create a buffer zone, mimicking similar actions in Gaza.
"Houses in Lebanese villages near the border, which in effect serve as Hezbollah outposts, will be demolished in accordance with the model of Rafah and Khan Younis in Gaza, in order to eliminate the threat to Israeli communities," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Friday.
Widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure without clear military necessity is considered a violation of international law. Israeli officials have given frequent updates on their military's plans in Lebanon, many of which include plans to move deeper into southern Lebanon, they say, to deter the threat of an invasion by Hezbollah.
The military is currently holding positions up to 10 kilometers deep into Lebanon, another Israeli military official previously told CNN. More than 80 towns and villages have been evacuated, more than 15% of the country's population has been displaced, and more than 1,300 people have been killed in Israeli attacks, with thousands more injured, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
At a foreign press conference on Friday, Israeli army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said that within a few days the army would be able to say that it had established "relevant defensive lines to prevent direct fire towards northern Israeli communities," without giving further details.
"We are committed to the long-term goal of disarming Hezbollah. There is also a short-term goal now to remove threats," he added.
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