Israel Withdraws from Lebanon After 22 Years of Occupation
May 25, 2026
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On May 24 and 25, 2000, Israel pulled out of southern Lebanon after occupying the region for 22 years.
Israel invaded Lebanon in 1978 after fighters from the Palestine Liberation Organization infiltrated Israel by sea from Lebanon, hijacking a civilian bus and killing 38 civilians. Israel escalated its operation to a full-scale invasion in 1982, during which it laid siege to Beirut. Hezbollah was founded that year. By 1985, Israel had pulled back to an approximately 400-square-mile zone in southern Lebanon — Hezbollah’s stronghold — which it occupied until 2000.
The Israeli war on Lebanon killed thousands and displaced tens of thousands more.
In the weeks leading up to the 2000 withdrawal, Hezbollah’s targeting of Israeli military outposts had increased. The withdrawal resulted in the collapse of the Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army and the rapid advance of Hezbollah forces into the area. As the Israeli Defense Forces pulled out, thousands of Lebanese rushed back to the South to reclaim their homes.
Now, 26 years later, Israel has reinvaded Lebanon and displaced one-fifth of the country’s population. Daily Israeli strikes continue despite a so-called ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese government. Hezbollah is not a party to the peace talks.
Since early March, over 3,000 Lebanese have been killed in Israeli attacks.
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