Lebanon’s Defence Minister denounces Israel's full-scale "new occupation"

Lebanon’s Defence Minister Major General Michel Menassa issued a scathing denunciation of Israel’s military strategy on Tuesday (Mar 31), accusing Israel of transitioning from border security to a full-scale "new occupation" of Lebanese territory. The remarks follow an announcement by Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz that said the IDF will establish a permanent "security zone" extending up to the Litani River.

Menassa asserted that Katz’s statements are "no longer mere threats" but represent a calculated intent to forcibly displace over 600,000 citizens and systematically dismantle southern border towns. "This is a deepening of the aggression against Lebanese land and national sovereignty," Menassa stated, responding to Israel’s plan to implement a "Gaza-style" buffer zone designed to eliminate Hezbollah's presence.

The tension comes as the 2026 Lebanon War enters its second month. Since hostilities reignited on March 2, the Lebanese Health Ministry reports that over 1,268 people have been killed. Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, recently confirmed orders to expand the buffer zone, citing the need to protect northern Israeli communities from Hezbollah’s Radwan Force and anti-tank weaponry.

Katz has explicitly compared the current operations to the "Rafah and Beit Hanoun model," signaling a policy of total demolition for border infrastructure. While Israel maintains these measures are temporary "security control" necessitated by the broader US-Israel-Iran conflict, Beirut views the Litani River mandate as a violation of the UN-demarcated Blue Line. As of date, Israeli troops have already reached the outskirts of Tyre, and the destruction of five key bridges over the Litani has effectively severed southern Lebanon from the north, fueling international fears of a long-term territorial annexation.