Israel's defence minister has said a buffer zone will be set up inside southern Lebanon and that Israel will keep security control over a swathe of the territory even after the end of the current war against the armed group Hezbollah.
Israel Katz said the area to be occupied would go up to the Litani River in southern Lebanon - about 30km (18.6 miles) from the border with Israel.
He also said all houses in Lebanese villages near the Israeli border would be demolished.
Lebanon's Defence Minister Maj Gen Michel Menassa said Katz's remarks reflected a clear intention to impose a new occupation of Lebanese territory. European nations, Canada and the UN also criticised Israel's announcement.
Israel sent ground troops into southern Lebanon on 2 March and has also been launching broad strikes across the country.
The action was taken after Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel in retaliation for Israel's assassination of Iran's supreme leader in late February, at the start of the war with Iran.
Israel was also carrying out near-daily strikes on Hezbollah before that despite a ceasefire that was agreed in 2024.
Since early March, at least 1,238 people have been killed in Lebanon, including at least 124 children. The UN's humanitarian affairs office says 52 health workers have also been killed.
In the same period, 10 Israeli soldiers and two Israeli civilians have been killed by Hezbollah attacks, Israeli authorities say.
Israeli officials say the aim is to protect communities in northern Israel from Hezbollah attacks.
To address the current escalation, UN aid chief Tom Fletcher emphasized that the violence compounds an already critical situation and called for international community preparedness regarding potential new occupations.
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney labeled Israel's deployment of ground troops in Lebanon as an illegal invasion. Reflecting widespread discontent, foreign ministers from 10 European nations issued a joint statement urging Israel to respect Lebanon's territorial integrity.
