Israeli military to further expand security zone in Lebanon

JERUSALEM

Israeli army soldiers stand next to a self-propelled Howitzer artillery gun positioned in the upper Galilee in northern Israel near the border with southern Lebanon on March 29, 2026.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on March 29 that he had ordered the military to "further expand" a security zone in Lebanon as Israel continues its campaign in the neighboring country.

"In Lebanon, I have just ordered the military to further expand the existing security zone," Netanyahu said in a video statement.

"This is intended to definitively neutralize the threat of invasion [by Hezbollah militants] and to keep anti-tank missile fire away from the border."

Netanyahu, during a visit to the northern command, said that Hezbollah still retained "residual capabilities" to fire rockets at Israel, but the group had been severely hit by Israeli forces.

"Iran is no longer the same Iran, Hezbollah is no longer the same Hezbollah, and Hamas is no longer the same Hamas," he said.

"These are no longer terrorist armies threatening our existence, they are defeated enemies, fighting for their own survival."

"We are determined, we are fighting, and with God's help, we are winning," Netanyahu said.

 Iranian ambassador to Lebanon to remain despite expulsion order

Meanwhile, Iran on March 30 said its ambassador to Lebanon would remain in the country despite being declared a persona non grata and ordered to leave.

"Our ambassador ... will continue his work as Iran's ambassador in Beirut and remains present there," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei in a weekly press briefing, adding that the embassy in Beirut remains "operational.”

Beirut last week gave Tehran’s envoy until March 29 to leave. The ministry accused the ambassador of making statements “interfering in Lebanon’s internal politics.”