Israel crosses Litani River and moves to encircle Nabatieh
Israeli forces crossed the Litani River and are moving to encircle Nabatieh, triggering evacuations and worsening a humanitarian crisis across southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military has pushed beyond the Litani River in southern Lebanon and is reported to be closing on Nabatieh, a key city in the region. Senior Lebanese military sources told the Turkish state news agency Anadolu that troops have crossed the river, which Israel has long treated as the edge of an informal buffer zone. The advance marks the first confirmed movement past the Litani since 2006 and raises prospects of a wider ground operation around Nabatieh.
Forces advance past the Litani River
Israeli troop movements into territory south of the Litani River represent a significant operational shift in the long-running hostilities with Lebanon. Lebanese military officials and local sources described units pushing through defensive lines that had defined the frontline for almost two decades. The crossing signals an intent to broaden the campaign beyond air strikes and targeted raids.
Nabatieh threatened with encirclement
Military observers say Israeli forces are now on the outskirts of Nabatieh and appear intent on encircling the city. Nabatieh is both an economic centre for southern Lebanon and a city with symbolic importance for many in the country. Its potential isolation or capture would be a strategic and political turning point in the conflict.
Evacuation orders and civilian warnings
Israeli authorities have issued evacuation orders for multiple villages in southern Lebanon as military operations expand inland from the border. The Israeli army’s Arabic spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, warned residents in several localities to leave immediately, saying those who remain could be at risk. The instructions followed diplomatic contacts between Lebanese and Israeli officials aimed at negotiating a permanent end to hostilities.
Humanitarian crisis deepens
More than one in five people in Lebanon are reported to have been displaced by recent fighting, with estimates of around 1.2 million people uprooted across the country. Many families are seeking shelter with relatives where possible, while others are sheltering in makeshift camps in parks, public spaces or living in vehicles for prolonged periods. Humanitarian agencies on the ground say prolonged displacement and repeated attacks have strained shelter, water and medical services in southern towns.
Casualties have continued to mount during the campaign, with recent Israeli air raids in the south blamed for multiple deaths. Local medical sources reported at least 14 fatalities in one set of strikes, underscoring the immediate toll on civilians and the pressure on hospitals treating the wounded.
Diplomatic engagement and fragile ceasefire
Direct talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials, facilitated by the United States, are under way in a bid to halt widespread violence. Delegations from both sides met in Washington, and diplomats say a further round of discussions is expected next week as negotiators search for terms to stabilise the border. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met to discuss the security situation and agreed to intensify efforts to secure an end to the war, according to the National News Agency.
Despite the diplomatic activity, the nominal ceasefire that has been in place since mid-April remains fragile and intermittently violated. Each new military development, including the reported Litani crossing, raises concerns among negotiators about the durability of any agreement and the potential for further escalation.
Military objectives and Hezbollah’s defences
Israeli officials frame the operations as part of a campaign to degrade and disarm Hezbollah, which has waged attacks across the border since October 2023. Field reports indicate Israeli forces are attempting to breach successive lines of defence and isolate key sectors, including the western Bekaa Valley, from southern operational zones. Local reporting from Tyre by Al Jazeera correspondent Obaida Hitto described an expanded air campaign intended to shrink Hezbollah’s manoeuvring space and set conditions for possible ground assaults.
Lebanese authorities, however, say disarming Hezbollah remains an extremely difficult political and security challenge, given the group’s entrenched positions and local support networks. The combination of diplomatic negotiations, ongoing strikes and displacement is creating a complex and volatile environment across southern Lebanon.
Negotiations continue in parallel with the military campaign, but the crossing of the Litani and the tightening of forces around Nabatieh have increased urgency among humanitarian agencies and regional mediators. The situation remains fluid, with the potential for further displacement and violence as talks proceed and operations unfold.
