Eyal Zamir said “prolonged years of fighting have reshaped Israel’s security and fortified our existence,” speaking at the President’s Outstanding Soldiers Ceremony for Israel’s 78th Independence Day.

Two people were killed by Israeli army fire in southern Lebanon, the military said on Wednesday, as violations of a temporary ceasefire continued. A military statement said Israeli forces opened fire and killed the pair as they crossed what the army said was a “forward defense line” in the Saluki area in Tyre in southern Lebanon on Tuesday.

Israel’s new “forward defense line” inside Lebanon signals a deeper push that could lock in a buffer zone and heighten the risk of a wider regional war.

By Maayan Lubell JERUSALEM, April 19 (Reuters) - The Israeli military published for the first time a map of its new deployment line inside Lebanon on Sunday, bringing dozens of mostly abandoned Lebanese villages under its control,

The incident comes amid continued Israeli violations of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza that has been in effect since October 10 2025.

On Sunday, the Israeli military published a map showing its 'forward defense line' and an area in red stretching the length of the south Lebanon border, where it said forces were operating to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure and 'prevent direct threats to communities in northern Israel.