Hezbollah launches explosive drones at IDF troops, Israel strikes back

The Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon has expanded, according to officials. Scenic highways near the border with Israel are now desolate, with abandoned crops and buildings destroyed by air strikes. Lebanese military checkpoints remain, but the roads are empty except for a few dozen Israeli flags marking the start of occupied territory.

This area is the heartland of Lebanon's Shia Muslim community, which supports Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia and political party. The region has seen three Israeli military invasions in the last two decades, most recently in March after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel. Israel has flattened entire villages and continued air strikes and demolitions even after a ceasefire in June.

The UN peacekeeping force, Unifil, is the only way to visit the occupied areas, which constitute around 5% of Lebanese territory and extend 10km (six miles) from the border in some places.

Israeli officials aim to establish a "security zone" to protect communities in northern Israel from rockets and drones fired by Hezbollah. There are now four new Israeli bases in the invaded areas, bringing the total to nine. Israeli forces have been constructing protective infrastructure and conducting demolition and engineering activities. Human rights groups argue that some of Israel's actions constitute the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure, potentially a war crime.

The US and Iran recently announced a deal to end their conflict, including a cessation of violence in Lebanon. However, since then, the UN has recorded over 5,000 violations of the deal by Israel, including air strikes, drone attacks, shelling, and near-daily incursions of Israeli soldiers beyond the occupied area, known as the Yellow Line.