Olmert says Israel’s Lebanon buffer zone fails to deter Hezbollah rockets

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has criticised Israel’s security buffer zone in southern Lebanon, arguing that it does not reduce the threat posed by Hezbollah and has caused harm to local communities.

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Olmert said longer-range rockets remain the primary security challenge for Israel, rendering the buffer zone ineffective in addressing the core threat.

He said that the real threat facing Israel was not artillery fire but rockets with a range of over 50 kilometres, and argued that the buffer zone created by the Israeli military along the border was therefore pointless and ineffective.

He added that significant damage had been inflicted on Lebanese villages, and that preventing rocket attacks and disarming Hezbollah could only be achieved through cooperation with the Lebanese government and the support of international forces.

Olmert added that Lebanon has struggled to meet the terms of the November 2024 ceasefire agreement, including the disarmament of Hezbollah, citing the weakness of the central government. He argued that Israel, together with the United States and France, should focus on strengthening Lebanon’s state institutions and security cooperation.

Israel launched military operations against Hezbollah on March 2 following retaliatory strikes by the group after the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Israeli airstrikes targeted sites across Lebanon, while ground forces expanded their presence in the south, aiming to protect northern Israel and establish a buffer zone south of the Litani River.

A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon was announced on April 16 by U.S. President Donald Trump, taking effect the following day and later extended by three weeks on April 24, with the possibility of talks between the sides under U.S. mediation.

By Sabina Mammadli