Israel pursues scorched earth plan in Lebanon amid diplomatic efforts

On 29 May 2026, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israeli forces had crossed Lebanon’s Litani River, widening the ground offensive in southern Lebanon. Israeli troops were also advancing on the medieval Beaufort Castle, where a flag was raised, and Netanyahu said the air force was operating in Beirut and the Bekaa Valley. Attacks on southern Lebanon killed 14 people, and UNICEF said an average of 11 children a day were casualties in Lebanon the previous week.

The advance came as Israeli and Lebanese delegations opened military talks at the Pentagon, in the context of a US-mediated ceasefire that Anadolu Agency said Israel continued to violate. Haaretz and the Japan Times described how much of southern Lebanon had been emptied of civilians far beyond the front lines, while Eyal Zamir said from Lebanon that the army had a solution for Hezbollah’s FPV drones.