Israel: Lebanese refugees will not return until Israelis are safe

Israel said on Monday that Lebanese displaced by its forces would not be able to return to their homes until Israelis living near the border were safe, as Israeli troops advanced into new areas of southern Lebanon. Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told a news briefing that soldiers were conducting ground operations in “new locations.” He described the latest offensive as “limited and targeted.” The expanded operation began days after Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said the army had been ordered to broaden its campaign. He later warned that Lebanon could face territorial losses and infrastructure damage unless Hezbollah was disarmed.