TEL AVIV(RealistEnglish). Israeli forces are maintaining positions in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank, expanding their footprint beyond recognized borders in line with a new preemptive defense doctrine, Financial Times reports, citing Israeli and Western officials.
Following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, the Israeli army seized approximately 235 km² of Syrian territory, including parts of the demilitarized zone on the Golan Heights and areas deeper into Syria. New fortifications, roads, and trench systems have reportedly been constructed on the slopes of Mount Hermon. “An entire division that used to stand on the Golan is now inside Syria,” one Israeli commander told FT.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has openly declared that Israel is “reshaping the Middle East,” abandoning the previous reliance on borders and early-warning systems. The new strategy is centered on preemptive force: occupying buffer zones, striking targets deep in Syria and Lebanon, and tightening control over Gaza and the West Bank.
In Lebanon, Israeli troops now hold at least five forward positions, including one facing the village of Metula, manned by reserve paratroopers. Defense Minister Israel Katz said such outposts are essential to protect Israeli communities and “destroy hostile villages.”
In Gaza, Israel resumed its offensive in March 2025 after an eight-week truce. A 1-kilometer buffer zone is being established, and the southern part of the enclave has reportedly been “reduced to dust,” with mass evacuations and widespread destruction, according to FT. Katz warned that if Hamas refuses to release remaining hostages, permanent control zones may expand further.
On the West Bank, Israeli battalions are operating inside the Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams camps. The UN estimates that around 40,000 Palestinians have been displaced. Israeli forts have been erected in areas officially under Palestinian Authority control. While labeled “temporary,” no timeline for withdrawal has been offered.
Israel frames these moves as lessons learned from the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, in which militants breached the Gaza border and killed roughly 1,200 people. A military inquiry concluded that a critical failure was “allowing a terrorist army to form at the threshold.”
This appears less like a tactical response and more like a strategic overhaul of Israel’s role and reach in the region. Under the banner of security, the country is effectively redrawing borders through force. History offers a cautionary tale: Israel’s 1982–2000 occupation of southern Lebanon led to insurgency, radicalization, and long-term isolation. The risk of repeating that cycle is now unmistakably high.
