Israel faces stiff Hezbollah resistance as it attempts to push deeper into Lebanon | Lebanon

Intense ground clashes are occurring between Israel and Hezbollah in at least three strategic areas in south Lebanon as Israel continues its ground invasion, according to a Lebanese security source and residents of the affected towns.

Fighting Concentrated in Khiam

Much of the fighting has been concentrated around the strategic hilltop city of Khiam, with the Israel Defense Forces carrying out air and artillery strikes against Hezbollah fighters dug into the city. Clashes escalated after days of prior engagements, with a Hezbollah spokesperson acknowledging “heightened clashes” on the eastern and northern outskirts of the city.

Israeli Troops Push into Border Towns

As fighting continued in Khiam, Israeli troops attempted to advance into border towns in the central and western sectors of south Lebanon. A resident of the Aita al-Chaab border village reported intense fighting between Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah fighters there. A Lebanese security source stated that the village was one of several border towns experiencing heavy fighting, as Israel attempted to infiltrate southern Lebanon through various points along the shared border, facing resistance from Hezbollah members.

Israel has amassed troops along the border, deploying four brigades and columns of tanks ahead of an expanded ground invasion of south Lebanon. The Israeli military has described its actions as a “limited ground operation,” while political leaders discuss expanding the campaign.

The conflict began when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel on March 2. Israel responded with a military operation aimed at eliminating Hezbollah. Hezbollah framed the war as a defense of Lebanon against near-daily Israeli airstrikes since the November 2024 ceasefire, though the move to engage Lebanon in war was unpopular outside of Hezbollah’s constituency.

Strategic Importance of Khiam

Experts say the current ground fighting in Lebanon is focused on strategic axes, particularly Khiam, which could determine Hezbollah’s ability to withstand Israel’s invasion. Ahmad Beydoun, a researcher at TU Delft specializing in open-source investigations of armed conflicts, explained that Khiam sits on a high plateau overlooking the Hula Valley and key routes leading west towards the Israeli border.

Control of Khiam would cut off Hezbollah’s supply lines to its fighters in south Lebanon, dividing the central and eastern sectors south of the Litani River and disrupting connectivity with the Bekaa valley, according to Beydoun.

The Israeli military has also targeted civilian infrastructure in south Lebanon to disrupt supply lines, hitting bridges crossing the Litani River and major roads. Rights groups have reported that attacks have also struck medical centers and emergency workers, designed to degrade living conditions in south Lebanon.

The question of how Hezbollah has maintained its presence south of the Litani River, despite efforts by the Lebanese army to disarm them and near-daily Israeli strikes, remains unanswered. Despite the pressure, Hezbollah has mounted a strong defense using anti-tank guided munitions, drones, and artillery.

Residents of south Lebanon report that Hezbollah maintains a presence, though operating with a lower profile. Many residents of the villages are members of the group and have begun fighting as Israel invades.

“Hezbollah is now fighting on the ground. Every town in the south has at least a couple hundred fighters armed with anti-tank missiles. This won’t be an easy walk for Israel,” said Imad Salameh, the mayor of Khiam, adding that support for Hezbollah is widespread in the south and weapons caches are distributed throughout the region.

As clashes occurred in Khiam, the IDF pushed at the edges of the border, exploiting hilltops on its side to bombard the Lebanese side as soldiers attempted to encircle fighters.

Israel is also creating “safe zones” along the Lebanese border, where residents can stay as long as they self-police to prevent Hezbollah infiltration. A resident of Kafr Shouba reported that Israeli forces raided his home and three others on Monday night, searching for weapons and detaining one resident for interrogation.

Former IDF officers say the immediate goal of the Israeli campaign is to create a buffer zone in southern Lebanon to push Hezbollah away from the border. The military activity suggests a two-tier approach: occupying territory south of the Litani River and creating a surveillance-dominated zone to its north.

“The buffer zone is to make sure that the Israeli communities up north are out of the direct line of fire of anti-tank missiles and anti-tank guided missiles … to push the physical line that they can fire from further north,” said Miri Eisin, a former senior officer in the IDF combat intelligence corps and senior fellow at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism.

If Israel pushes Hezbollah back from the Litani, it would then focus on the group’s presence north of the river, where most rockets and drones are fired towards Israel. Hezbollah fighters south of the river are concentrating on fighting Israeli soldiers.

Israeli military experts warn that establishing a buffer zone in south Lebanon would require a long-term occupation, potentially reviving popular support for Hezbollah. Currently, the group is domestically isolated and under pressure after initiating the conflict with Israel.

“What is now unfolding is the renewed occupation of parts of southern Lebanon,” said Prof Yagil Levy, the head of the Open University Institute for the Study of Civil-Military Relations in Israel. “But this time, [Israel] seizes territory and removes the population, thereby ensuring full freedom of action and reducing the risk of guerrilla operations emerging from villages.”