Israeli defense minister details "Rafah model" in Lebanon

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the military is applying the "Rafah model" to southern Lebanon, systematically flattening 24 border villages. Speaking on the Israeli podcast Shomer Saf hosted by journalist Gadi Taub, he confirmed that the army has used bulldozers and explosives to destroy 90% of the houses, demolishing between 15,000 and 20,000 homes. Katz explained that these historic villages were being used by Hezbollah as heavily fortified military outposts to launch attacks against Israel. By completely clearing out the infrastructure, the strategy aims to enforce a total cross-border buffer zone. This demolition aligns with Israel's broader, long-term plan to establish a secure zone up to the Litani River. Both Katz and Netanyahu have signaled that Israeli forces are preparing for an extended stay until Hezbollah is fully disarmed. Support stories that matter. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0fZh5SBxxMNYdg0VzRFkg/join Catch previous episodes of MEE LIVE, our biweekly news programme exploring the stories shaping our world through breaking coverage, expert analysis, and hard-hitting interviews. Originally airing Tuesdays & Thursdays at 12pm ET | 5pm BST Got a story tip or question? Reach us at [email protected] Subscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWH Subscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TG Middle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.net Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteye Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/MiddleEastEye Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MiddleEastEye Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye