The Israeli military said on Saturday it has established a so-called “Yellow Line” in southern Lebanon, marking what it described as a new operational boundary separating its forces from areas where potential threats could emerge. The announcement, the first of its kind in the context of Israel’s confrontations with Hezbollah, has raised concern and questions in Lebanon about its scope and implications.

In a statement, the army said its forces operating south of the Litani River within what it termed the “Yellow Line” zone had, over the past 24 hours, identified “a terrorist cell who violated the ceasefire understandings and approached the forces from north of the Yellow Line in a manner that posed an immediate threat.” It added that air and ground units struck the suspects, with artillery fire used in support of troops on the ground.

The concept of a “Yellow Line” has not previously been publicly used by Israel in Lebanon. The term refers to a military demarcation line, similar to one employed in the Gaza Strip following the war that began in October 2023, where it effectively divided the territory into zones of control between Israeli forces and Hamas.

Israeli officials appear to be applying a comparable framework in southern Lebanon, where forces have advanced into border areas since March 2. Available information indicates that the zone corresponds to approximately 55 Lebanese towns and villages where Israeli troops are now present.

According to Israeli media reports, the “Yellow Line” extends as a strip inside Lebanese territory along the border known as the “Blue Line,” with a depth estimated at between 4 and 10 kilometers. It reportedly stretches from the coastal town of Naqoura to the town of Khiam, northeast of the Israeli settlement of Metula, passing through areas including Shaamiyeh, Ayta al-Shaab, Bint Jbeil, and Adaysseh.

While the precise size of the area between the Yellow Line and the Blue Line remains unclear, the zone is widely described as a “free-fire area,” effectively cleared of residents and used as an open operational space. Military sources say it serves as both a forward defensive buffer and a potential launch point for further operations.

An Israeli military source told Yedioth Ahronoth that troops are conducting “sweeping and clearing operations” in areas under their control up to the Yellow Line to locate militants and weapons, adding: “Once any threat is identified, it is fired upon and neutralized.”

The move comes just days after a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect on Thursday, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump following phone calls with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Despite the ceasefire, the Lebanese National News Agency has reported multiple violations by Israeli forces, including shelling and explosions on the first day of the truce.

Lebanese officials have also cast doubt on the existence of the so-called line. A Lebanese military source told Al Arabiya and Al Hadath that “the yellow line does not exist in practice,” adding that Israel is attempting to impose a similar arrangement to that used in Gaza and that no official information has been received from the Israeli side.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Friday that Israel intends to maintain control over all areas it has occupied in southern Lebanon during the recent offensive.

The precedent cited by Israeli officials dates to Gaza, where a “Yellow Line” was established under a ceasefire agreement that took effect on October 10 after two years of war that left more than 72,000 Palestinians dead and over 172,000 wounded. In that case, the line was part of a negotiated arrangement. In Lebanon, however, it appears to be a unilateral Israeli measure.