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'Replicate Gaza model': Netanyahu orders expansion of Lebanon invasion
30 March 2026 02:27 BST
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has ordered Israeli troops to expand the ground offensive in southern Lebanon, including widening the "security buffer zone".
Speaking in a video statement from Northern Command, Netanyahu said Israel is “determined to fundamentally change the situation in the north.”
He said the move aligns with plans to replicate what he called the “Gaza model” in Lebanon, signalling a more entrenched military presence.
The announcement comes as Israeli forces continue operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon amid escalating cross-border fighting.