Israel on Thursday published a map showing an expanded military control zone in southern Lebanon and said it would not rule out attacks beyond it, a move that directly challenges a newly signed US-Iran pact calling for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity to be respected.
The map marks the latest sign that Israel intends to keep a military foothold in the south even as diplomatic pressure builds around the conflict.
The release came on the same day Israeli and US officials were discussing how long Israeli troops can remain deployed inside Lebanese territory.
Also Read | 'Either jealous, bad people, or stupid': Trump unloads on Iran agreement critics
The Israeli military on Thursday shared a map of the zones of Lebanon in which it maintains a military presence, coming as Washington has urged the country to limit its operations against Hezbollah amid the US-Iran memorandum of understanding
— The New Region (@thenewregion) June 18, 2026
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on the… pic.twitter.com/63H4YMJLvb
Of maps, mandates and measured resolve
A senior Israeli official told Reuters the government was engaged in “stubborn negotiations” with President Donald Trump’s administration over keeping its forces deployed about 10 km inside southern Lebanon as it continues operations against Hezbollah.
The military’s new map shows troops operating several kilometres deeper into Lebanon than the buffer zone it had published in April, including areas near Nabatieh, north of the Litani River.
Israeli officials have argued that the deployment is tied to security needs in the north and to continued threats from Hezbollah, which has kept up attacks on Israeli positions in the south this week.
‼️🚨🇮🇱🇺🇸🇱🇧🇮🇷 Israel is negotiating with Washington to maintain its troop deployment in southern Lebanon, a day after the US-Iran MoU called for respecting Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
— Visioner (@visionergeo) June 18, 2026
A senior Israeli official close to Netanyahu says Israel is conducting… pic.twitter.com/DbOxgRTv7l
Where diplomacy meets deterrence
The dispute has sharpened because the interim pact signed on Wednesday to end the US-Israeli war with Iran calls for an end to fighting on all fronts and for “the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon” to be guaranteed.
In response, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem rejected any Israeli security demarcation inside Lebanese territory, saying: “No yellow zones, no red zones, and no green zones. Israel must leave, and it will leave.”
An Israeli military official said the army “will continue to remove threats” to Israeli soldiers and civilians identified beyond the security zone, a statement that signals operations may continue deeper into Lebanese territory.
Conditions, concessions and a long road ahead
The map’s release also comes ahead of US-mediated Israel-Lebanon talks scheduled for next week in Washington.
Israeli officials have left open the possibility of withdrawal from southern Lebanon if the talks progress, but have made Hezbollah’s disarmament a central demand. Lebanon, by contrast, has sought a full Israeli withdrawal.
Analysts say the new map was intended to signal that Israel plans to stay unless its conditions are met, underscoring the gap between battlefield realities and the diplomatic track now taking shape in Washington.
Also Read | 'Paper tiger', 'one-way street': Hegseth tears into NATO allies, orders Europe troop review
FAQs
Q1: Why is Israel seeking to keep troops in southern Lebanon?
Ans: Israel says its continued military presence is necessary to counter threats from Hezbollah and protect communities in northern Israel.
Q2: How does the new US-Iran agreement affect Israel's Lebanon deployment?
Ans: The interim agreement calls for respect for Lebanon's sovereignty, putting Israel's troop deployment and expanded control zone under greater diplomatic scrutiny.
