Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that Israeli forces are expanding their military buffer zone in southern Lebanon to extend to the Litani River, a river meeting the Mediterranean approximately 30 kilometers north of Israel's border. Defense Minister Israel Katz separately stated that Israel will "control the remaining bridges and the security zone up to the Litani," spelling out an intended occupation of territory amounting to nearly a tenth of Lebanon's total land area. Lebanon's Health Ministry reported that Israeli strikes have killed at least 1,094 people in Lebanon since March 2, including at least 121 children, 40 healthcare workers, and 79 women. More than 1.2 million people — approximately one in five Lebanese — have been displaced. Al Arabiya and Haaretz both confirmed Netanyahu's buffer zone announcement; ABC News and the Washington Times confirmed the death toll and displacement figures.

Netanyahu framed the buffer zone as a security necessity, stating: "We have created a genuine security zone preventing any infiltration toward the Galilee and the northern border. We are expanding this zone to push the threat from anti-tank missiles further away and to establish a broader buffer zone." He also said that dismantling Hezbollah "remains central" to Israel's objectives and is "connected to the broader confrontation with Iran." The proposed zone revives comparisons to Israel's previous occupation of southern Lebanon from 1982 to 2000, a 22-year presence that generated sustained Hezbollah resistance and contributed to the militant group's rise.

Lebanon expelled Iran's ambassador-designate, Mohammad Reza Shibani, declaring him persona non grata and giving him until March 29 to leave the country. Lebanon's Foreign Minister cited violations of "diplomatic norms and established practices" and blamed Iran for drawing Lebanon into a conflict with Israel through its support for Hezbollah. Hezbollah called Lebanon's decision a "grave national and strategic mistake." At least four countries have now expelled Iranian diplomats since the war began. Hezbollah pledged to resist any Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, calling it an "existential threat" to the Lebanese state.

France's foreign minister urged Israel to "refrain" from occupying the buffer zone, warning of "major humanitarian consequences," and Canada joined several European nations in condemning the planned expansion. The United States has not publicly objected to the buffer zone, consistent with its broader posture of supporting Israel's military operations in the Iran war theater. Analysts across outlets noted that the Litani buffer zone, if sustained, would represent the most significant Israeli territorial hold in Lebanon since the 2000 withdrawal.