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How Israel Is Taking Control of Southern Lebanon
The New York Times ^ | 3rd April 2026 | Christina Goldbaum, Samuel Granados and Sanjana Varghese

Posted on 04/03/2026 4:34:41 AM PDT by Cronos

The war has brought intense uncertainty to the south, a predominantly Shiite Muslim area dominated by Hezbollah for decades.

This week, Israeli officials offered their most explicit plan to date to occupy a swath of southern Lebanon from the border up to the Litani River after the ground invasion ends. That would amount to about 10 percent of the entire country. Israeli officials have said they aim to establish a “security zone” to prevent the territory from being used to attack Israel.

In March, the Israeli military demolished most of the key bridges across the Litani River, in what it said was an effort to prevent Hezbollah from moving reinforcements and combat equipment to southern Lebanon. The waterway, which is as much as 20 miles from the Israeli border at its furthest point, has long marked the dividing line between southern Lebanon and the rest of the country.

Much of the Litani River is situated at the base of a ravine, making the bridges critical — both for civilians still living in the south to leave as well as for medical supplies, food and other essentials to reach those who have remained.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Israel; Lebanon; War
KEYWORDS: idf; israel; lebanon
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1 posted on 04/03/2026 4:34:41 AM PDT by Cronos
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To: Cronos

Here’s my thought on the long-term ramifications. Lebanon is a collapsed country. Their currency is worthless. Their government is ineffective. There is no place in Lebanon to work and live like civilized people. The security zone will be flooded with new infrastructure, power plants, schools, and lots and lots of jobs. Lebanese will flood to the security zone for...security... in all its meanings. The security zone will be the only functioning and successful part of the country. Probably for decades.


2 posted on 04/03/2026 4:54:34 AM PDT by Gen.Blather (Wait! I said that out loud. Sorry. )
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To: Gen.Blather

you are correct - it is a failed state (not going to go into the WHY as that is very complex)

Ideally create a Christian ONLY state from the central and currently Shia south. Then a druze state in the south-east contiguous with the Druze state of southern Syria. Then a Shia state in the north and a Sunni state in the north


3 posted on 04/03/2026 5:13:39 AM PDT by Cronos (Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.)
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To: Gen.Blather

Lebanon is an absolutely beautiful country, filled with an incredible history that deserves preservation. And yet, Iran has gang raped Lebanon with the cancerous Hezbollah and established its own Caliphate there. It used to be a Christian Nation who co-existed with Israel for decades before the Iranian Revolution in 1979. That is why the process is to destroy the Iranian Caliphate in Lebanon. There will be no real peace until it is gone. I would love to see the beauty of it restored.


4 posted on 04/03/2026 5:19:40 AM PDT by Judge Bean
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To: Cronos

Good. Long overdue. Long long long overdue. God bless the brave IDF!


5 posted on 04/03/2026 6:42:03 AM PDT by faithhopecharity ("Politicians aren't born, they're excreted." Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE))
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To: faithhopecharity

imho for israel’s long term safety, it needs to create a Christian only state in central and southern Lebanon, and a Druze only state to the north of the Golan heights.

Buffer states are useful


6 posted on 04/03/2026 6:57:59 AM PDT by Cronos (Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.)
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To: Cronos

Saad Haddad and the SLA

anyone remember them?


7 posted on 04/03/2026 7:13:05 AM PDT by wardaddy (If u hate Trump you’re stupid or clueless what’s going on)
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To: Cronos

Take and hold up to the Awali River, a good and more defensible natural border. Help Lebanon’s remaining Christians (those that the Islamicists haven’t murdered or chased out already) to assemble a viable self-governing entity to the north. Any Druze in the southeast may reunite with their people in Syria as they may wish and Continue defending the Druze.


8 posted on 04/03/2026 8:43:25 AM PDT by faithhopecharity ("Politicians aren't born, they're excreted." Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE))
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