Netanyahu claims Hezbollah pushed back from border as Lebanon reports violations

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israeli forces have pushed Hezbollah approximately 5 to 8 miles (8 to 13 kilometers) back from the Israel-Lebanon border and destroyed about 94 percent of the militant group’s estimated 150,000 missiles and rockets .

In an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu highlighted what he described as significant military gains against Hezbollah, which has been a central adversary along Israel’s northern frontier for decades .

The Prime Minister also pointed to a new trilateral agreement that has opened direct Israeli-Lebanese talks for the first time in decades. Under this arrangement, Israel is to withdraw its forces from Lebanese territory as Lebanon moves to disarm Hezbollah . Netanyahu expressed cautious optimism but noted that whether the Lebanese army can effectively hold and secure the territory “is yet to be seen,” while adding that Israel is “willing to give it a try” .

However, the situation on the ground appears tense, as Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has separately briefed French President Emmanuel Macron on what Beirut describes as ongoing Israeli violations in southern Lebanon . The details of those alleged violations were not immediately specified, but they underscore the fragility of the current security arrangements.

The developments come amid a broader regional push to stabilize multiple fronts, including the recent Israeli cabinet approval for an International Stabilization Force to enter Gaza . The Lebanese front has remained a critical concern, with cross-border exchanges of fire having intensified over the past years.

Netanyahu’s remarks suggest that Israel views the military campaign against Hezbollah as having achieved its primary objectives of degrading the group’s offensive capabilities and creating a buffer zone near the border. The success of the political track, however, now hinges on the Lebanese state’s ability to enforce disarmament commitments a task that has historically proven challenging given Hezbollah’s deep entrenchment in Lebanese society and politics .

As of now, neither Hezbollah nor the Lebanese government has publicly responded to Netanyahu’s claims regarding the group’s military losses or the border buffer zone.