Litani Lockdown: IDF to Annihilate All River Crossings in Massive Bid to Halt Hezbollah’s Southern Advance

Israel has ordered strikes on key crossings over Lebanon’s Litani River as part of an expanded effort to disrupt Hezbollah’s movement of fighters and weapons in southern Lebanon, Defense Minister Israel Katz said Sunday.

Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the military to destroy bridges used for what Israel described as Hezbollah activity, with the goal of preventing operatives and arms from moving south toward the Israeli border.

“We are determined not to allow the reality of before October 7 to return,” Katz said, adding that the measures are intended to protect residents of northern Israel.

The directive follows a high-level security assessment and comes alongside intensified Israeli operations in villages near the border.

According to the military, specific targets include crossings such as the Qasmiyah Bridge along Lebanon’s coastal highway, which officials say has been used to transfer reinforcements and weapons.

The Israel Defense Forces also issued warnings to civilians in southern Lebanon, urging residents to move north of the Zahrani River and avoid travel in areas expected to be targeted. The military said remaining in those areas could pose a risk due to planned strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure embedded within populated zones.

In addition to targeting bridges, Katz said he had ordered the acceleration of demolitions in villages along the contact line, describing the move as part of efforts to reduce threats to Israeli communities.

The latest orders signal a further escalation of Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah, focusing on restricting mobility and supply routes in southern Lebanon while expanding the scope of military operations near the border.