Netanyahu orders Lebanon security zone expansion — visible cracks in Iran regime; 3 zones deep in enemy territory

Following a situation assessment at the IDF Northern Command headquarters in Safed with top IDF officers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he has ordered the Lebanon security zone to be 'further expanded' to 'definitively thwart the invasion threat and push anti-tank missile fire away from our border.' Netanyahu said Israeli operations are creating 'visible cracks in the terror regime in Tehran' and declared 'Iran is not the same Iran, Hezbollah is not the same Hezbollah, and Hamas is not the same Hamas — they are battered enemies fighting for their very existence.' He boasted that Israel now holds 'three security zones deep in enemy territory' — Lebanon, Iran, and Gaza — and described Israel as the initiating, attacking side. He acknowledged Hezbollah 'still has residual capability to launch rockets at us' and said removing that capability was discussed with IDF commanders. The Lebanon security zone expansion order, coming on the same day the 146th Division reached the Ras al-Bayada headland south of Tyre, signals the IDF ground operation in Lebanon is being deliberately escalated, not wound down.