The Illusion of Security: Israel’s Expanding “Belts” Reshape the Middle East Map and Lead to New Instability

The concept of “deep security belts” that Israel has been implementing since October 2023 marks not just a tactical shift in military doctrine but a fundamental rethinking of the state’s strategic borders in the Middle East.

The Scope of the New Buffer Strategy

At the heart of the current policy is the idea of creating demilitarized zones on the territory of neighboring states to push armed groups like Hamas and Hezbollah further away from Israel’s borders. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has openly spoken about establishing three such “belts” and subsequently ordered their expansion, particularly in Lebanon.

The scale of this expansion is striking:

Lebanon: Israel controls over 570 sq. km (by some accounts, up to 608 sq. km), reaching depths of up to 10 kilometers from the border. There are plans to extend the zone as far as the Litani River. This operation has led to the mass displacement of over 1.2 million Lebanese and widespread destruction of border villages, which Israel claims were used by Hezbollah as strongholds.

Gaza Strip: Israeli forces now control over 60% of the enclave’s territory, including fertile agricultural lands, and, according to Netanyahu’s statements, intend to expand control to 70%. Nearly all of Gaza’s 2 million residents have been pushed into small enclaves, with their homes and infrastructure systematically destroyed.

Syria: Following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Israel capitalized on the security vacuum to enter the UN demilitarized zone on the Golan Heights, establishing control over the strategically vital Mount Hermon and pushing deeper into Syrian territory.........

© New Eastern Outlook