Benjamin Netanyahu Says Israeli Forces Crossed the Litani River, Expanding Strikes in Southern Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israeli forces crossed the Litani River in southern Lebanon, saying during a visit to the 36th Division on the northern border that the 36th Division crossed the Litani River and advanced toward strategic positions in southern Lebanon.

“South of the Litani, the Israeli army is consolidating its territorial grip in spite of the ceasefire concluded in late November 2024 with Hezbollah”

Africtelegraph

The escalation unfolded alongside a wide series of air raids and artillery shelling that targeted scattered areas in southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut, and the Beqaa Valley, while Israeli warplanes struck the city of Nabatieh and the towns of Kafr Reman and Nabatieh al-Fawqa.

Africtelegraph

The Lebanese National News Agency said artillery shelling hit the outskirts of Shokin and the outskirts of the towns Aba and Jebsheet and Haraj Ali al-Tahir, and an Israeli drone targeted the town of Aba, killing a municipal police officer hours after the town was hit by artillery shelling.

Israeli airstrikes extended to the town of Maaroub in southern Lebanon, where a drone strike caused injuries, and another strike hit a center affiliated with the Health Authority in the town of Deir Qanoun al-Nahar.

In parallel, the Israeli army issued an urgent warning to residents of the village of Ain Qana to evacuate their homes and move at least one thousand meters away, signaling a possible expansion of military operations in the region.

In Washington, The Times of Israël reported a new round of direct talks between Israel and Lebanon, while N12 said Netanyahu feared a recently tense telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump about an Israeli strike planned for Beirut could open the door to new American restrictions on the Israeli military’s freedom of action in Lebanon.

N12 said Trump objected to a joint statement issued by Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz and was alarmed after seeing a video in which Netanyahu threatened to strike Beirut, with a senior American official cited by the channel saying Trump told Netanyahu: "out of control".

Anadolu Ajansi

N12 also quoted Trump yelling at Netanyahu, telling him: "You are completely crazy. You would be in prison without me. I’m saving you. Everyone hates you now. Everyone hates Israel because of all this."

Hezbollah’s position was also firm in the reporting, with a senior official, Mahmoud Qomati, telling AFP: "We will not accept any partial ceasefire agreement," and warning that "the Zionist enemy must know that any aggression against the suburb could trigger a stronger response" from Hezbollah.

The same N12 reporting said Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the United States endorsed the principle that Israel would strike Beirut’s southern suburb if Hezbollah attacks its territory, as direct talks continued in Washington.

The escalation described in the sources threatened the fragile ceasefire framework, with The المنصة reporting that Israeli forces crossed the Litani River, broadened operations to areas north of the river, and announced control of the strategic archaeological fortress of Qal'at al-Shuqif.

“Israel says it is carrying out strikes against Hezbollah after an appeal to evacuate a Lebanese village”

Le Figaro

The Israeli army said its forces from the Golani and Givati Brigades, and the Seventh Brigade under the supervision of Division 36, were conducting wide operations in the Shuqif heights and Wadi al-Salouqi aiming at "establishing operational control" over the area and targeting Hezbollah's infrastructure.

In the same reporting, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said the army "expanded its operations in Lebanon, crossed the Litani River, and seized the Shuqif heights," adding that the operation was carried out "under the direction of the prime minister and under his leadership."

Lebanon’s leadership framed the stakes as de-escalation under pressure, with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accusing Israel of pursuing a "scorched earth" policy in southern Lebanon and warning that continued military operations could push the region toward a wider confrontation.

Across the broader conflict picture, Anadolu Ajansı said Israel has conducted a wide-scale attack on Lebanon that has left 3,371 dead and 10,129 wounded, and more than one million displaced, while it also reported that Hezbollah expanded its attacks toward northern Israel in response to daily Israeli violations of the ceasefire in effect since April 17.