Israel agreed to halt its attacks on Iran but says it will not ​stop its campaign against Iranian-backed Hezbollah. The Israeli military referred queries about the buffer zones to Netanyahu’s office, which didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz likened the devastation exacted on southern Lebanon to the scorched-earth policy used against Hamas in Gaza that saw entire cities depopulated. “Sweeping destruction of houses in southern Lebanon that is not based on individual analysis would be unlawful,” he added. But he said the increased personnel needed to ​patrol fronts across Lebanon, Gaza, Syria and the occupied West Bank would eventually put major strain on the military’s forces.

Source: Bangkok Post April 09, 2026 07:19 UTC