Israel Seized More Land From Neighbors Since 2023 Than It Has In Decades

JERUSALEM — Over nan past 2 and a half years, Israel has taken power of swaths of Gaza, Lebanon and Syria that magnitude to its biggest description of militarily occupied lands successful decades.

It is an area larger than galore awesome cities — astir 386 quadrate miles — and Israel has said it plans to enactment indefinitely.

The onshore seizures began successful nan aftermath of Hamas’ 2023 cross-border attack, which ignited wars connected aggregate fronts. The Israeli subject took complete ample portions of Gaza arsenic portion of a wide invasion, and later seized power of chunks of Lebanon and Syria.

Israel calls these areas “buffer zones” and says they are needed to forestall early attacks by militant groups.

In Gaza and Lebanon, Israeli onshore seizures and removal warnings person pushed retired much than 3 cardinal people, and troops person demolished towns and neighborhoods, creating large, depopulated zones.

The “buffer zones” — balanced to astir 5% of Israel’s area soon aft its founding — are not caller borders, which require an statement betwixt 2 countries. But galore fearfulness these changes could go long-lasting. Iran has made Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon a information for ending its warfare pinch nan U.S.

Since its founding successful 1948, Israel has ne'er had clear borders. Its boundaries person shifted done wars, annexations, ceasefires and bid agreements.

Here is simply a deeper look astatine nan Israeli description s:

Lebanon

Israel and Hezbollah person fought aggregate wars since nan Iran-backed Lebanese militant group was formed successful 1982.

Israel occupied overmuch of confederate Lebanon betwixt 1982–2000, saying it was basal to protect bluish Israeli communities. After Israel’s withdrawal successful 2000, nan U.N. drew up a bound betwixt nan 2 countries.

A twelvemonth of fighting betwixt Israel and Hezbollah ended pinch an October 2024 ceasefire. That truce collapsed successful March, days into nan U.S.-Israeli warfare against Iran. Following rocket and drone attacks by Hezbollah, Israel launched a crushed penetration into Lebanon.

When fighting was halted successful April, Israel said nan subject would inhabit an area up to 6 miles deep.

Israel now holds 234 quadrate miles successful Lebanon, according to experts pinch nan Carnegie Middle East Center.

Evacuation warnings person forced astir 1.2 cardinal Lebanese to flee, and Israel has warned civilians against returning.

Hezbollah has condemned Israel’s beingness wrong Lebanon, and nan Lebanese authorities has called for Israel to withdraw.

Gaza

Israel seized nan Gaza Strip from Egypt successful nan 1967 Mideast War. It unilaterally withdrew troops and settlers from nan territory successful 2005.

Hamas militants overran nan territory 2 years later, and their Oct. 7, 2023, onslaught connected Israel launched nan devastating warfare successful Gaza.

When nan Gaza ceasefire went into effect successful October 2025, Israel withdrew its troops to a area demarcated by nan alleged “yellow line,” giving it power of conscionable complete half nan strip.

Almost nan full organization of Gaza, much than 2 cardinal people, has been squeezed into vast, squalid shelter cities limited connected world aid. The subject has bulldozed aliases demolished wide swaths of nan zone, and nan area, wherever astir of Gaza’s cultivation onshore lies, is inaccessible to Palestinians.

Israeli forces are meant to complete a fuller withdrawal nether nan U.S.-brokered ceasefire. But nan U.S.-backed diplomat overseeing nan truce says advancement is deadlocked complete nan cardinal sticking constituent of disarming Hamas.

With nan ceasefire process stuck, Israel has since moved nan statement westbound and expanded its power to much than 60% of Gaza — 75 quadrate miles, according to authorities group Gisha. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli power of Gaza will summation to 70%.

Syria

Israel captured nan Golan Heights from Syria during nan 1967 Mideast warfare and later annexed it -- a move not wide recognized by nan world community.

After nan 1973 Mideast war, nan U.N. created a buffer area successful confederate Syria adjacent to nan Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, patrolled by a U.N. unit of astir 1,100 troops.

In December 2024, aft nan astonishment downfall of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Israel moved its troops into nan U.N. buffer zone, saying it was concerned that Syrian rebels could onslaught Israel. It besides wanted to disrupt Iran’s expertise to smuggle weapons done Syria to Hezbollah militants successful Lebanon.

The U.N. and different critics opportunity nan seizure of onshore violates a 1974 ceasefire agreement. Civilians successful nan area person not been instructed to evacuate but person faced checkpoints and tension, pinch occasional clashes betwixt Israeli soldiers and villagers.

Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has called connected Israel to retreat from nan area that nan U.N. says is 91 quadrate miles.

West Bank

Since capturing nan West Bank successful nan 1967 Mideast war, Israel has built good complete 100 settlements crossed nan occupied territory.

The authorities has approved 47 caller settlements and formalized aliases expanded 55 existing settlements conscionable since 2022, according to Peace Now.

After nan warfare successful Gaza began, Israel expanded its subject operations successful nan West Bank, displacing tens of thousands of Palestinians from their homes.

Some of nan caller settlements approved precocious are retroactive legalizations of mini outposts, while others are neighborhoods of existing settlements.

The precipitous maturation of settlements stems from settler leaders and supporters holding cardinal positions successful Israel’s authorities and a U.S. management that is mostly pro-settlement.

The world organization considers them illegal. The expanded settlements person put tremendous restrictions connected nan regular lives of Palestinians, who position them arsenic nan main obstruction to a lasting bid statement because they are built connected lands they activity for a early state.

Lidman and Jarrett constitute for nan Associated Press. Jarrett reported from London.