Israeli forces have resumed offensive operations in southern Lebanon, seeking to expand their field control for the first time since a ceasefire took effect three weeks ago, according to security sources cited by Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. 

Since Sunday, the Israeli military has carried out two separate attempts to advance toward the town of Zawtar al-Sharqiyeh by crossing the Litani River to its northern bank, the sources said. The moves unfolded amid heavy airstrikes and sustained artillery bombardment across the Nabatiyeh area.

The escalation began on Saturday, with intensified air and artillery fire targeting villages in the Nabatiyeh district, particularly those situated on elevated terrain overlooking what Israel has designated as the “yellow line” in the south. The strikes have focused on Zawtar al-Sharqiyeh, Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, Arnoun, Yohmor, Mifadoun, and Choukine—hilltop communities located south and southeast of the city of Nabatiyeh.

The sources said the bombardment appeared to be laying the groundwork for a broader push across the Litani River toward Zawtar, one of four towns north of the river that Israel included within the “yellow line” it announced three weeks ago.

Initial attempts to cross the river were reported last month, when Hezbollah said it had ambushed Israeli forces along the Litani and released images showing bulldozers and amphibious transport equipment in the area.

The latest advance is believed to have originated from the Deir Siryan area south of the river, which has been under Israeli control since last month. The town lies directly on the southern bank of the Litani, about eight kilometers from the Israeli border.

Statements issued by Hezbollah since Sunday have reinforced assessments of Israeli efforts to push forward. The group said it fired rocket barrages at Israeli troop concentrations and vehicles near Khellet al-Raj, a valley separating the river’s two banks in the Deir Siryan area. Hezbollah media also reported that fighters had set an ambush for Israeli forces advancing on the outskirts of Zawtar and had engaged them in the same area.

The advance marks a shift from the previous phase of the conflict, during which Israeli forces largely halted deeper incursions into Lebanese territory, even in areas falling within the “yellow line.” Observers say Israeli troops had instead focused on rigging and demolishing homes and infrastructure in areas already under their control, while Hezbollah drone activity complicated any further ground advances in zones where its fighters remain present.

Zawtar’s location makes it a strategic objective. Military analysts say it is the least elevated among the slopes north of the Litani that Israel aims to incorporate into its zone of control. Capturing it would open access to higher ground in Yohmor and Arnoun, which overlook several other towns deeper inside the “yellow line,” including Taybeh, Deir Siryan, and Deir Mimas.

Control of Zawtar al-Sharqiyeh would also allow Israeli forces to bypass the more difficult route along the Litani corridor between Khardali and Kfar Tebnit to reach Yohmor, Arnoun, and the Beaufort Castle area; an advance analysts describe as highly complex. Instead, they say, Israeli forces appear to be attempting a flanking maneuver from the southeast.

Fighting has intensified alongside the attempted advances. Hezbollah said on Tuesday that its fighters targeted Israeli military vehicles near Khellet al-Raj with rocket fire, claiming direct hits. It also said it struck an Israeli D9 bulldozer with an attack drone in the same area, and later targeted a Namer armored vehicle attempting to retrieve the damaged equipment.

Israeli airstrikes have meanwhile continued across wide areas of southern Lebanon, hitting more than 20 locations, including towns whose residents had been previously warned to evacuate. New evacuation warnings were also issued to residents of Jibcheet and Sarafand ahead of further strikes.

Strikes have hit Zawtar, Choukine, Jibcheet, Habboush, Nabatiyeh al-Fawqa, Zibdine, and Mifadoun. In the western sector, raids targeted Majdal Zoun, al-Hanniyeh, and Qlayleh, while Tebnine and Kafra in the Bint Jbeil district were also struck.

Demolition operations were reported in Ayta al-Shaab and Bayyada, where Hezbollah said it had targeted Israeli troops and military vehicles eight times within hours. The group also said it fired a surface-to-air missile at an Israeli helicopter over the area.

Drone warfare has also intensified. The Israeli military said that since the ceasefire, Hezbollah has launched 70 explosive drones at its forces, 11 of which caused casualties. Two drones, it added, crossed into Israeli territory and struck Israeli fighters inside.

Israeli Army Radio said on Tuesday that “the data behind the truce with Hezbollah shows there is no ceasefire in Lebanon,” adding that around 200 Hezbollah fighters had been killed by Israeli forces in southern Lebanon through air and ground operations.

The Israeli air force has carried out roughly 500 strikes since the ceasefire took effect, almost all in southern Lebanon, with the exception of one target in the eastern Bekaa region.