The Israeli occupation army announced the imposition of "operational control" over the area north of Wadi al-Saluki with the aim of removing what it called the direct threats to launch drones towards the settlements of the Galilee Finger and Metulla.
The Israeli occupation army said that it had "operationally controlled" the area of Wadi al-Saluki in the central sector of southern Lebanon, considering that this control "removes the threat from the finger of the Galilee and the Metla," claiming that Hezbollah used the area to launch booby-trapped drones and missiles towards Israel.
A reporter for The Times of Israel quoted a military official as saying that the Israeli army was about to launch an attack on Hezbollah in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh.
Israeli Army Radio reported that the army forces are a few kilometers away from the city of Nabatieh, adding that the army is waiting for the decision of the political level to occupy new areas in Lebanon, it said.
Israeli media reported that Israeli forces destroyed hundreds of Hezbollah infrastructure and eliminated dozens of Hezbollah operatives during the operations of the elite "Igoz" Brigade and the 7th Brigade in the south and the area of Wadi al-Saluki, which they took over operationally.
The towns of Zalaya and Qolia in the western Bekaa Valley were also subjected to Israeli artillery shelling, while other raids targeted the town of Khirbet Salam in the Bint Jbeil district, and the vicinity of the town of Jibshit in Nabatieh, in addition to a new raid on the town of Majdal Zone in the district of Tyre.
On the other hand, Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged during a government meeting in the settlement of "Nof HaGalil" that the party's marches still represent a major challenge, hinting at the possibility of reproducing the Gaza scenario and repeating it in Lebanon.
Specific operations of the party and UN warnings
In turn, the Lebanese Hezbollah announced the implementation of 17 qualitative military operations against Israeli targets in the south and east of the country in defense of its villages and in response to the ongoing violations.
In its military statements, the party confirmed that its operations were able to inflict casualties in the ranks of an Israeli force infiltrating in southern Lebanon, as well as shooting down one drone, confronting another, and targeting vehicles and armored vehicles.
This escalation coincided with intensive Israeli raids on Nabatieh, Tulin, Furun, and Mansouri, amid Israeli media's acknowledgement of the army's concern about the erosion of the deterrence force and the inability to resolve the battle soon.
This escalation on the ground and diplomacy comes as an extension of weeks of Israel's violations of the ceasefire and the escalating tensions on the Lebanese-Palestinian border for 2026.
In a new toll of human losses, the Lebanese Ministry of Health announced that the number of victims of the Israeli aggression on the country since March 2 has risen to 3711 dead and 11483 wounded, while the Israeli occupation army acknowledged that 11 officers and soldiers were injured in the ongoing battles in southern Lebanon during the past 48 hours, adding that the toll of its losses since the renewal of fighting at the beginning of March reached 30 dead and 1302 wounded, including 76 serious injuries and 146 moderate.
International calls for calm and upcoming negotiations
Politically, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for a comprehensive ceasefire and respect for Lebanon's sovereignty, stressing the organization's support for the Lebanese government's exclusive right to bear arms.
These developments on the ground coincide with leaks published by the "Axios" news platform confirming that the draft understanding being developed between Washington and Tehran goes beyond the nuclear file to include regional arrangements, including Lebanon, and guarantees a two-month truce, which opens the door to expanded political negotiations, at a time when Tel Aviv is trying to impose new facts on the ground in Lebanon to strengthen its negotiating position in Washington's upcoming rounds.
In the political context, Lebanese, regional and international attention is turning towards the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, in conjunction with US President Donald Trump's announcement of the imminent signing of a US-Iran agreement that stipulates the extension of the truce for 60 days, while stopping military operations on all fronts in the region, including Lebanon.
While Trump confirmed that he was in contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the matter, the latter's office was quick to issue a statement clarifying that Israel is "not a party to the memorandum of understanding," while expressing appreciation for American efforts to reach a final agreement to resolve the issue of enriched nuclear material.
Lebanese adherence to negotiations
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stressed in statements to Reuters that "Lebanon's future is in the hands of the Lebanese and not in the hands of Iran or Israel."
Aoun added that his country "does not accept that Iran dictates what to do. Lebanon is a sovereign state."
The Lebanese president said that Beirut "does not accept to become an arena for other people's wars," stressing adherence to the diplomatic track, considering that "there is no choice but to negotiate to end this conflict."
In this context, Lebanese media reported that Lebanon is preparing for the fifth round of direct negotiations with Israel in Washington on the 22nd, although its fate is still uncertain, especially in light of news that Israel is unwilling to hold them, with the occupation insisting on remaining in the southern villages it has identified within the scope of what it calls the "Yellow Zone", and continuing its military operations.
The Lebanese president chaired an assessment meeting at Baabda Palace last night, attended by Army Commander General Rudolph Heikal, and the head of the negotiating delegation, former Ambassador Simon Karam, along with members of the military negotiating team.
During the meeting, they evaluated the previous deliberations held at the Pentagon and the US State Department, where President Aoun provided the delegation with the necessary directives in preparation for the fifth round of direct negotiations scheduled for Washington on the 22nd of this month.
Aoun stressed that Lebanon will not withdraw from the negotiations despite the pressure on the ground and the news that Israel does not want to hold them as a result of the occupation's insistence on staying in the villages of the "Yellow Zone."
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