Reuters: Israel plans to occupy southern Lebanon

Israel's military will occupy southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on March 24, according to Reuters.

It was the first time Israel has clearly spelled out its intent to seize swathes of territory that make up nearly a tenth of Lebanon.

Katz has previously warned Lebanon's government that it would lose territory if it did not disarm Hezbollah, the militant group backed by Tehran.

Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran when it fired into Israel on March 2.

On March 24, Katz said in a meeting with the military chief of staff that the military would "control the remaining bridges and the security zone up to the Litani", and was creating a "defensive buffer".

The Litani River meets the Mediterranean about 30 km (20 miles) north of the Israeli border with Lebanon.