Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated in a Channel 14 interview that the Israeli military has destroyed more than 60 villages in southern Lebanon. A US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been in force since June 2026. Regarding the scale of the damage, Israel Katz said, "Every single village, we’re talking about 23,000 homes, is in ruins. And that’s not even mentioning the underground infrastructure and the tunnels." He added, "This is the Gaza model. That's what we've been implementing." Israel Katz also warned that "if Hezbollah joins Iran in an attack on Israel, it will be dealt a heavy blow and lose additional territory in southern Lebanon, in the areas of Nabatieh and the Litani, which will become part of a permanent Israeli security zone."
Scale of Regional Destruction
Israel Katz stated that 23,000 homes have been destroyed within the security zone located in southern Lebanon. These residential structures represent a portion of the broader infrastructure damage reported by the Israeli Defence Minister. According to the assessment provided by Israel Katz, the destruction encompasses entire villages situated along the border region. The minister linked these actions to a specific operational approach previously utilized in Gaza. While the ceasefire remains in effect following the June 2026 agreement, the Israeli government maintains that the current state of these areas is the result of military operations conducted prior to the cessation of hostilities. Israel Katz identified the total number of homes affected as part of his briefing on the current status of the southern Lebanon territory.
Displacement and Humanitarian Impact
Israel Katz reported that the conflict has caused significant population movement within the border region. The Israeli defence minister stated, "There are no residents left, 200,000 people have been displaced."
Broader estimates regarding the humanitarian situation in the country differ from these figures. Data provided by the UN in September 2026 indicated that 360,000 Lebanese remained displaced due to the Israeli occupation. These figures reflect the total number of individuals who had not returned to their communities following the cessation of major hostilities.
Political activity within Israel is set to continue alongside these ongoing regional conditions. Officials have confirmed that Israel is scheduled to hold a general election in late October 2026. The upcoming vote follows the military operations and the subsequent ceasefire agreement that has been in place since June 2026.
