Multiple reports say Israel has expanded the territory under its military control since 2023, citing developments across Gaza, southern Lebanon and parts of Syria. The Independent reports that over roughly two and a half years Israel has taken control of “swaths” of land in those areas, describing it as the largest expansion of militarily occupied land in decades. Other coverage similarly characterizes the expansion as an increase in Israeli-held territory tied to the regional conflicts that began in 2023, including fighting in and around Gaza and Israel’s cross-border operations in Lebanon. Turkish outlet Daily Sabah also links the change to Israel extending its occupation in Gaza and southern Lebanon as well as areas in Syria since the start of the broader regional escalation. While the sources differ in phrasing and characterization, they converge on the same general point: Israel’s military control over neighboring territory has grown substantially since 2023, and the cumulative change is described as unusually large compared with prior decades.