Israel holds 3 buffer zones as Hezbollah threat persists after cease-fire

Israel has established military buffer zones on its borders with Lebanon, Syria and Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, shifting from tactical operations to a strategy of indefinite territorial denial against Iran-backed proxies and Islamist state-aligned forces.

"Between any Israeli citizen and a terrorist there needs to be a fighter of the IDF," a Golani Brigade officer at Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon said, summarizing the thinking behind deployments that commanders describe as an obligation rather than a choice.

The IDF's 36th Armored Division captured Beaufort Castle and surrounding territory in May during one of its most complex ground operations in recent years, destroying a tunnel network built by North Korean engineers on Hezbollah's behalf over the past decade. The June 2025 cease-fire left a small number of Hezbollah fighters still holed up in two tunnels outside Nabatiyeh, a Hezbollah stronghold, and division commanders said they expect the truce to collapse.

The strategy reflects a broader Israeli assessment that diplomacy offers no path to coexistence with state-backed Islamist movements committed to its destruction. Unlike the global war on terror two decades ago, when the threat came from non-state jihadist groups, Israel now faces two state-led formations: the Iran-led axis encompassing Hezbollah and Hamas, and an emergent Turkey-aligned Sunni Islamist axis that includes the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Syria.

Israeli policymakers point to the more than 1,700 Druze killed by government and pro-government forces in Syria's Sweida province in July 2025 as evidence of the character of the regime in Damascus. Veteran jihadists hold senior positions in the military that Sharaa is building under Turkish tutelage, according to Israeli assessments, reinforcing the view that distance from such forces is the only reliable safeguard.

A Doctrine of Denial, Not Deterrence

The buffer-zone approach marks a departure from earlier Israeli military doctrine, which relied on periodic strikes and deterrence through retaliation. After the Oct. 7 attacks — in which Hamas killed about 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages — Israeli planners concluded that deterrence had failed and that physical separation was the only viable alternative.

The three buffer zones now in place cover territory in southern Lebanon, the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights area along the Syrian border. Each zone is designed to prevent the kind of cross-border infiltration that enabled the Oct. 7 assault, with IDF units maintaining a permanent presence rather than conducting raids and withdrawing.

Two Islamist Axes, One Strategic Problem

Israeli strategists distinguish between the Iran-led axis — which relies on Shiite proxies including Hezbollah and Hamas — and the Sunni Islamist axis coalescing around Turkey, Qatar and Pakistan. The latter includes the Sharaa government in Syria, which Western governments have sought to rehabilitate through diplomatic engagement.

From Jerusalem's perspective, both formations share a commitment to political Islam and hostility to Israel's existence, making reconciliation impossible. The buffer zones represent a recognition that Israel must plan for protracted conflict rather than seeking quick resolutions.

"Being here isn't an option, it's an obligation," the Golani officer said. The sentiment reflects a broader shift in Israeli strategic thinking away from the concept of short, decisive wars and toward acceptance of indefinite military deployments.

The approach carries costs. Maintaining permanent positions on three fronts strains personnel and resources, and critics argue it risks entangling Israel in forever wars with no exit strategy. Israeli planners counter that the alternative — allowing armed Islamist groups to operate freely on its borders — poses a greater threat to civilian lives and national security.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.