Original Source
Israeli Minister Calls for Annexation of Southern Lebanon, Border Shift to Litani River
Israeli Minister Advocates for Southern Lebanon Annexation
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for Israel to annex southern Lebanon and shift its border to the Litani River, located nearly 40 kilometers from the current border. Speaking on Israeli radio on Monday, he asserted that this move should be part of the ongoing campaign against Hezbollah militants. West Jerusalem initiated military operations against Hezbollah in early March, following waves of strikes by the Lebanese-based militant group in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Israel subsequently ordered residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate areas south of the Litani River, citing "limited and targeted ground operations against key Hezbollah strongholds."
International Reactions and Historical Context
Minister Smotrich explicitly stated, "the new Israeli border must be the Litani," adding that the campaign "needs to end with a different reality entirely, both with the Hezbollah decision but also with the change of Israel's borders." Lebanese authorities report that Israeli strikes have killed over 880 people, injured more than 2,000, and displaced over one million in the past two weeks. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Israel's actions in Lebanon as "inappropriate and even unacceptable," noting that past Israeli operations against Hezbollah have not yielded desired results. Israel has conducted multiple military campaigns against Hezbollah since 1978 and occupied southern Lebanon between 1982 and 2000.
*Source: RT News (2026-03-23)*
