Israeli forces have taken control of about 1,000 square kilometers of new territory — FT
The Israel Defense Forces have expanded their control to three neighboring regions—the Gaza Strip, southern Lebanon, and border areas of Syria—following a large-scale attack by the terrorist group Hamas on October 7, 2023.
This was reported by the Financial Times.
The total area of occupied territory currently stands at approximately 1,000 square kilometers.
This figure is equivalent to approximately 5% of the total territory of the State of Israel, indicating significant geopolitical changes in the Middle East.
More than half of this area is occupied by Israel Defense Forces positions in southern Lebanon. There, military units have advanced twelve kilometers into the neighboring country to create a so-called “security zone.”
The main strategic objective of this operation is to push the militants of the radical group “Hezbollah” as far away from the border as possible.
This is intended to prevent or significantly hinder regular attacks on Israeli border towns with anti-tank missiles.
The rest of the newly controlled territory is divided between the Gaza Strip and Syria.
On the Syrian front, the Israeli command quickly took advantage of the internal chaos and the collapse of the Assad regime to occupy advantageous defensive positions several kilometers deep into the country.
At the same time, the situation regarding official confirmation of borders in this region remains unclear.
The IDF command has published detailed maps showing the areas under its control in Gaza and Lebanon; however, neither Israeli nor Syrian officials provide clear information regarding the location of forces in Syria.
In addition to the direct physical presence of ground units in these territories, Israel maintains strategic influence over other neighboring areas as well.
In all three territories, Israeli forces also control additional areas through airstrikes, artillery fire, raids, and detentions.
This allows for a rapid response to any potential threats from militants.
Israel carried out airstrikes on Lebanon a few hours after extending the ceasefire
Israel agreed to a 10-day ceasefire with Lebanon and announced the start of a move toward a diplomatic settlement, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed that the war against Hezbollah is not yet over and military operations will continue.
