Israel may mobilize up to 450,000 reservists for possible Lebanon ground opreations

Israel may soon approve the mobilization of up to 450,000 reserve troops as part of preparations for a possible ground operation in Lebanon, Israeli media reported on Sunday. Israel's public broadcaster KAN said it has "learned" that the mobilization of this number of personnel is part of military preparations for war and the possibility of a ground operation in Lebanon, though the broadcaster did not provide a source.

Approval process

According to the report, the proposal is expected to be presented soon to government ministers and the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for approval. The broadcaster said the currently authorized ceiling for reservist mobilization stands at about 260,000 troops, based on a government decision issued in January, meaning the new request would significantly expand the current limit by nearly 200,000 personnel.

Northern front escalation

The media report comes amid rising tensions with Lebanon, where the Israeli army is reviewing options to expand its military operations, including the possibility of launching a ground incursion. The report also said Israeli forces recently targeted infrastructure in southern Lebanon, including a bridge over the Litani River, claiming it had been used as a passage for Hezbollah fighters. It added that Israel is also considering expanding the buffer zone in southern Lebanon while consulting with the US over developments along the northern border.

Conflict context

Since Feb. 28, Israel and the US have been conducting military attacks on Iran that have killed hundreds of people, including Iran's then-supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other security officials. Iran has responded by launching missiles and drones toward Israel and targeting US interests in several Arab countries, causing casualties and civilian infrastructure damage. On March 2, Hezbollah began targeting Israeli military sites in response to Israeli attacks on Lebanon despite a ceasefire in place since November 2024 and the killing of Khamenei. Israel, on the same day, expanded its strikes to Beirut's southern suburbs and areas in southern and eastern Lebanon before launching a limited ground incursion in southern Lebanon on March 3.

Lebanese toll

Lebanese authorities report that Israel's expanded attacks have killed 733 people, injured 1,933 and displaced 822,000, with the toll expected to rise if a full-scale ground operation proceeds.