By Rami Ayyub, Maayan Lubell, and Emily Rose
While the United States and Iran work to solidify a fragile ceasefire in their conflict, Israel continues to expand its territorial control at the expense of its neighbors, preparing for a long-term war in the Middle East.
Israel’s creation of “buffer zones” in Gaza, Syria, and now Lebanon reflects a strategic shift following the October 7, 2023 attacks. This places Israel in a state of semi-permanent war, according to six Israeli military and defense officials interviewed by Reuters.
This approach acknowledges the reality that after two and a half years of conflict, religious leaders in Iran, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and armed groups in the region cannot be eliminated outright.
Israeli leaders have concluded that they are engaged in an endless war against opponents who must be intimidated or dispersed, says Nathan Brown, a researcher with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
While Washington and Tehran agreed to a truce on Wednesday as they negotiate a possible end to the war that began on February 28 with Israeli-American strikes, Israel has agreed to suspend its attacks on Iran but will continue its campaign against Hezbollah, supported by the Islamic Republic.
Hezbollah entered the conflict on March 2 by firing rockets at Israel, prompting an Israeli ground invasion in southern Lebanon to establish a buffer zone to the Litani River encompassing about 8% of the country’s territory.
Israel has ordered hundreds of thousands of residents to flee, destroying homes in Shiite villages believed to be used by Hezbollah for weapons storage or attacks.
These actions are part of Israel’s new security doctrine, which focuses on creating buffer zones rather than protecting border communities. This strategy comes after decades of unsuccessful peace agreements with the Palestinians, Lebanon, and Syria.
The deployment of buffer zones will put significant pressure on the Israeli military, potentially leading to an increase in troops needed to patrol the borders, ultimately straining the armed forces.
