1. Increased Tensions: Following the 1973 Yom Kippur War, tensions between Israel and Lebanon escalated. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), based in Lebanon, carried out cross-border attacks into Israel, including the 1978 Coastal Road massacre. Israel sought to weaken and disband the PLO, which had become a significant military and political threat.
2. Stronghold of PLO: The PLO had established a "state within a state" in southern Lebanon, operating its own militias, political institutions, and social services. Israel viewed this as an existential threat, fearing the PLO's growing power and influence in the region.
3. Operation Litani: In 1978, Israel launched Operation Litani, a limited incursion into Lebanon aimed at pushing PLO fighters further away from the border. However, the operation did not achieve its goals, and the PLO continued its attacks.
4. Assassination Attempt: In June 1981, the Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom, Shlomo Argov, was shot and severely wounded in an attempted assassination by the PLO. Israel held Lebanon responsible for failing to prevent the attack and used it as a justification for a larger-scale invasion.
5. Strategic Goals: Israel had long-term strategic goals in Lebanon. It sought to establish a security zone in southern Lebanon to prevent attacks on its northern settlements and to weaken Syria's influence in the region.
The invasion of Lebanon was highly controversial and resulted in significant casualties on both sides. It also sparked international condemnation and led to the creation of the multinational peacekeeping force (MNF) in Lebanon. The Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon lasted until 2000, when Israel withdrew its troops in compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 425.