Israel retains operational control in southern Lebanon despite village withdrawals

Southern Lebanon is witnessing a significant security shift as Israeli forces withdraw from select villages, handing them over to the Lebanese army. However, this redeployment does not signal a complete relinquishment of Israeli military influence. Instead, Israel is focusing on retaining commanding positions, enhancing surveillance, and preserving its ability to intervene from outside the vacated areas.

The transition moves from direct occupation of villages to a "redistribution of firepower-based control." While Israel vacates places like Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, it maintains strategic positions on higher ground, supported by drones, artillery, and electronic equipment. These retained positions overlook vast areas of southern Lebanon, allowing for continued monitoring and strike capabilities.

Retired Brigadier General Saeed Qazah explained that Israel's withdrawal from villages like Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh is not a major military loss as long as it holds more critical overlooking positions. "Zawtar is an observation point overlooking Froun, Ghandouriyeh and Srifa, but Israeli forces remain deployed at more important positions extending from Bayyada, through the high ground of the western sector, to Beaufort Castle," he told Asharq Al-Awsat. These key positions provide oversight of areas including Nabatieh, Iqlim al-Tuffah, the Litani plain, and even across the border into Galilee.

Military experts note that this model of control reduces the risks and costs associated with ground deployments while still allowing Israel to project power. The reliance on aerial and intelligence superiority, through drones and advanced surveillance systems, enables Israel to track movements and intervene without needing troops stationed within the villages themselves. The Lebanese army's increased presence in the vacated villages reinforces state authority but does not fundamentally alter the military balance as long as Israel maintains its strategic vantage points.

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Zawtar is an observation point overlooking Froun, Ghandouriyeh and Srifa, but Israeli forces remain deployed at more important positions extending from Bayyada, through the high ground of the western sector, to Beaufort Castle.