IDF deepens Lebanon push, vows Gaza-style strikes on Hezbollah

The IDF has pushed its operation deeper into southern Lebanon against Hezbollah, with Defense Minister Israel Katz threatening to turn border villages into a Gaza-like wasteland to destroy terror infrastructure, a move Netanyahu and Katz say aims to prevent Hezbollah’s return to the area. While some reports hinted at a broader invasion, top IDF officials say the escalation is significant but not a full reoccupation of southern Lebanon or the scale of 2024; additional troops could join later. The army says the objective is to remove border threats and protect northern Israel as it conducts artillery and air strikes, and Hezbollah’s pre-2023 rocket arsenal is reported to be largely destroyed (85-90%).