What Israel is Doing in Southern Lebanon and Why It's Complicated

Israeli troops have moved up to 10 kilometers into southern Lebanon. They're looking for and dismantling what the Israeli military describes as a vast tunnel system that runs beneath the border, according to AP.

The ground operation started on the night of September 30, 2024, when Israeli Defense Force (IDF) units, including the 98th Division, crossed into southern Lebanon in a coordinated move, per a 2025 IDF case study on the operation. Since then, forces have moved steadily into a heavily fortified territory. Israeli soldiers have found and shown tunnel entrances to the media during the operation, AP reported in October 2024. The IDF says it has uncovered roughly three kilometers of underground passages so far, some with trapped entrances designed to injure or kill intruders.

Who Built These Tunnels and Why

The tunnels belong to Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group. They were not built just for moving supplies or passing messages. According to IDF documentation, Hezbollah built them to launch surprise attacks — including kidnapping civilians and soldiers — across the border into Israel. This tactic mirrors the October 7, 2023 attack Hamas launched from Gaza into Israel. Israel has also targeted an underground tunnel that connects Lebanon to Syria, and struck infrastructure near a key border crossing.

The Bigger Problem: An Old Agreement No One Can Enforce

In 2006, after an earlier war between Israel and Hezbollah ended, the United Nations passed a resolution — called Resolution 1701 — that said Hezbollah had to move its military forces north of a river called the Litani. The agreement also banned unauthorized armed groups from being in southern Lebanon.

But Hezbollah built this tunnel network well after 2006. That means it's a violation of the agreement. Israel has used this fact to justify its current military operation, and other countries — even those critical of Israel's actions — see this as a legitimate argument.

Here's the tension: Israel now occupies 10 kilometers of Lebanese territory and is demanding that the tunnels be destroyed. But the Lebanese government isn't strong enough to control Hezbollah on its own. UNIFIL, the UN force stationed in the south to enforce the 2006 agreement, doesn't have enough soldiers or weapons to do it either. That's how the tunnels were built in the first place. Filling that gap would require a political deal that doesn't exist yet.

Rockets Keep Flying, and That Complicates Everything

Shooting hasn't stopped during this ground operation. The IDF found and struck a Hezbollah rocket launcher in southern Lebanon after rockets were fired at Kiryat Shmona, a northern Israeli city near the border. This city is roughly eight kilometers from Lebanon and has been hit repeatedly throughout the conflict. Most of its residents have left.

Kiryat Shmona is like a test: if a ceasefire is actually working, the rockets should stop coming.

The problem is this: every time rockets are launched from the area Israel is occupying — whether from Hezbollah's official military or groups connected to it — it gives Israel a reason to stay longer. And hardliners on both sides benefit from the fighting continuing. Each new rocket attack resets the pressure for Israel to leave.

What Happens Next

As of late June 2026, there is no lasting agreement yet. The 10-kilometer line is not an official border — it's just how far Israeli troops have advanced. Israel hasn't said when it will leave.

Any future deal will have to answer two hard questions: Can Lebanon's army, or an international force, actually stop rocket attacks and prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding? And how will anyone verify that the tunnels are truly destroyed and not just left alone? Right now, no one has clear answers.