Israel's security cabinet has reportedly approved the legalization of 30 previously unauthorized settlement outposts across the West Bank, according to Israeli officials cited by local media. The decision was made during a cabinet meeting in which the military chief warned of a growing manpower crisis that could be worsened by the expansion of communities deeper into the territory.

The move comes amid a surge in settler violence against Palestinians, prompting the military to divert a battalion originally slated for deployment to Lebanon to the West Bank instead. The outposts approved for legalization had been considered illegal under Israeli law because they were built without formal authorization.

Such outposts have expanded significantly over the past two years and have frequently been linked to violence against Palestinians, much of which has gone largely unchecked. Although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly urged stronger enforcement in private, his government has continued to support and fund settlement activity, and he has not addressed the issue publicly in recent months.