Similar to the method applied for over a year in the Gaza Strip, the security establishment plans to destroy villages near the border used by "Hezbollah" for operations against Israel and prevent their residents from returning, according to the "Haaretz" newspaper.

The intention is to control the area from the border to the Litani River and to establish permanent military positions there.

The security establishment intends to destroy all houses in the first line of villages near the border fence in southern Lebanon and prevent their residents from returning. This is the same method implemented in Rafah, Beit Hanoun, and other cities in the Gaza Strip. Within the security establishment, the view is that all these villages are used by "Hezbollah" for activities against Israel, and therefore a "scorched earth" policy should be applied to prevent Hezbollah elements from returning to these areas.

UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon (AFP).

The army started implementing this policy in the Gaza Strip during the year preceding the ceasefire reached last October.

In addition, the security establishment does not intend to allow the return of villagers and plans to control the area by building both permanent and temporary sites. According to the newspaper, the security establishment believes that the Lebanese army publicly refrains from entering these homes.

The security establishment also intends to control the area in southern Lebanon up to the Litani River and create a combat zone between the river and the border with Israel. It is estimated that so far about 585,000 people have left southern Lebanon—approximately 70% of the total population south of the Litani and about 70% of the population in the area between the Litani and Zahrani Rivers.

The security establishment also estimates that about 621,000 people have left the southern suburbs of Beirut. Meanwhile, it does not intend to evacuate residents in northern Israel—a principal decision made before the current military operation in Lebanon began.