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The Associated Press said it is now calling Israel’s military actions in southern Lebanon an invasion, explaining that its decision is driven by how the conflict has expanded and what Israel’s stated objectives appear to be. In a guidance piece posted this week, AP said the language change reflects what it described as a sustained ground campaign rather than a limited strike or initial attack phase.
AP said Israel has moved thousands of troops across the border into Lebanon and that Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants have been fighting on the ground for at least three weeks. The AP said Israel’s efforts are occurring alongside statements by Israeli officials that the campaign is aimed at controlling the territory south of the Litani River, which AP described as roughly 20 miles (about 30 kilometers) north of the border.
In AP’s account, Israeli officials, including the defense minister, said they want to take control of the entire area south of the Litani River. AP also reported that those officials said displaced Lebanese residents would not be allowed to return until Israel decides that its northern border is safe.
AP added that Israel occupied much of that area from 1982 to 2000 after it invaded southern Lebanon during the Lebanese civil war. The guidance also cited the Lebanese or regional timeline of recent fighting, saying the war has been under way for more than three weeks since it erupted.
AP said the Israeli army reported it had deployed another division to Lebanon on Thursday, describing it as an addition to the thousands of troops it said had already been sent into southern Lebanon since the fighting began more than three weeks ago. AP said the army did not specify how many troops were sent on Thursday or in total.
The AP guidance also laid out how the two sides are framing the campaign. Lebanese officials, AP reported, say Israel has violated Lebanon’s sovereignty and is seeking to occupy Lebanese land. Israel, AP said, describes its actions as defensive and intended to prevent Hezbollah from firing missiles into northern Israel, and AP said Israel also wants to remove the militant group from the area.
AP said that for the first time in a year, Hezbollah fired a barrage across the border a couple of days after the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran on Feb. 28. AP presented that sequence as part of Israel’s stated rationale for its operations, including its description of the security threat it is responding to.
AP said “invaded” is a term with specific meaning between sovereign nations, and it described why its style choices matter to readers. AP said its journalists examine factors such as how broadly an attack expands, including how many troops or divisions are involved and how long the fighting has continued, as well as whether the action is meant to seize land or displace those who live there and whether the move is offensive or defensive. AP said it also considers the extent of casualties and damage.
Finally, AP said it is important to use the correct language to describe military action because “invaded” implies something different than simply “attacked.” AP said that if troops have not entered, it is not an invasion, and it argued that using “war” or “invaded” incorrectly can diminish the word’s importance when a conflict later escalates to a more comprehensive level. AP pointed readers to its War Middle East Topical Guide for further guidance on conflict language.