Netanyahu’s vow of ‘more to come’ sparks a terrifying new phase, and Israel is seizing parts of Southern Lebanon as ‘defensive buffer’

Israel announced that it would seize parts of southern Lebanon to create a “defensive buffer,” while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to keep striking Iran, dimming hopes for any de-escalation even as President Trump talked up the prospects of a deal to end the conflict, as reported by The Guardian. This is a pretty terrifying development, as it signals a significant escalation in the regional conflict.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed the move during a meeting with the military chief of staff, stating that Israeli forces would “control the remaining bridges and the security zone up to the Litani,” a river in Lebanon that’s about 20 miles north of Israel’s border.

Katz’s remarks suggest Israeli troops could be sticking around for a while, which Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed armed group, is calling an “existential threat” to the Lebanese state. He also added that all bridges over the Litani River, which he claims Hezbollah used to move operatives and weapons, “have been blown up and the IDF will control the remaining bridges.”

Meanwhile, tensions between the Lebanese government and Hezbollah are really heating up

This news follows Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s comments the previous day, where he said Israel should “apply sovereignty” to areas in southern Lebanon. This really points to an expansionist vision that has critics both at home and abroad pretty alarmed.

The Lebanese government expelled Iran’s ambassador, Mohammad Reza Shibani, declaring him persona non grata and ordering him to leave. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam urged Hezbollah to halt attacks on Israel, clearly stating that avenging Iran’s leadership “has nothing to do with us.” Hezbollah, of course, condemned the decision, saying it serves Israel and deepens divisions, which just raises fears of renewed internal conflict within Lebanon itself.

Lebanon is finding itself pulled further into this regional conflict as Israel continues to bomb the country and fight Hezbollah in the south. On Tuesday afternoon, residents in the northern city of Jounieh were pretty confused as explosions rattled along the coastal area. It turns out an Iranian missile, reportedly heading towards Cyprus, was intercepted by a “foreign naval boat” over north Lebanon. This left the Lebanese coast littered with debris and damaged streets.

A fresh wave of Israeli airstrikes absolutely battered Iran on Tuesday, after Netanyahu’s vow to press ahead with military action against Tehran. “There’s more to come,” Netanyahu said. This seems to back up what three Israeli officials stated previously, who thought it was improbable that Iran would accept US demands in any new round of negotiations.

In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement, threatening to launch heavy missile and drone attacks at Israeli troops in northern Israel and the area near Gaza “without restraint” unless Israel ceases attacks in Lebanon and Palestine. Israel, for its part, said it carried out an extensive series of strikes on Iranian “production sites,” though they didn’t give more details.

In Tehran, folks heard a massive blast in northern neighborhoods and another in the city center. Iran also fired at least 10 waves of missiles at Israel.