Israeli ground operations in southern Lebanon, part of the conflict with Hezbollah that escalated in March 2026, have centered on establishing a buffer zone north of the Blue Line, with reported advances past the Litani River toward Hezbollah strongholds including Nabatieh outskirts. By late May, Israeli forces reached or approached towns such as Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and Choukine amid airstrikes, demolitions, and clashes that continued despite an earlier truce extension. A June 2026 trilateral framework agreement outlined phased IDF redeployment in exchange for Lebanese Armed Forces deployment and Hezbollah disarmament steps, leading to pilot-zone withdrawals by July where Lebanese troops assumed security roles. Ongoing strikes near Choukine into July, coupled with buffer-zone maintenance and negotiation timelines, shape trader assessments of entry probabilities tied to specific resolution dates.