Israel Seeks Gradual Seizure of Ali al-Taher Heights as Hezbollah Rejects Evacuation

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Many of those who followed the raids on Talat Ali al-Tahir believed that the United States had given the green light to the Israeli army to penetrate this important hill, whose length, height, and contents of military equipment, warehouses, and fighter shelters, as well as sleeping quarters, guard posts, and reconnaissance sites have not yet been disclosed. But in practical terms, it seems that America did not give the green light to penetrate the hill, especially since the cost of breaking through would be very high for the Israeli army, not only because the field situation is difficult, but also because the fighters have prepared for heroic confrontations on this day. However, it seems that Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing to spark a war, perhaps with the aim of delaying the elections, because he believes that polls indicate he may not be able to form a new Israeli government if the elections take place as scheduled. In contrast, there is a clear divergence between Netanyahu and Trump, with communications between them having waned compared to the past, when their contact was almost weekly. As for Mr. Mahmoud Qamati’s announcement that Hezbollah is prepared, if necessary, to open talks with America should it change its policy toward the party and toward U.S. support for Israel, it is a politically important announcement, even though Israel will not take it easily; on the contrary, Israel will seek to hinder any contact of this kind, even if it is done indirectly, whether through Qatar, Pakistan, or any other party that could play the mediator.

The surprise stance of former minister Mahmoud Qamati, a member of the Political Council of Hezbollah, that the party has not closed the door definitively to direct contact with the Americans and that the decision is taken according to interests and suitable circumstances, raises questions not only from opponents but also from allies outside the “Hezbollah–Amal” duo, especially since there has been no denial of the party’s “media relations” which limited their denial to clarifying that the intended path is Islamabad’s course rather than Washington’s path to achieving full liberation and Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory. Although Qamati’s latest stance coincides with remarks by the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Eric Gardner? (Tom Barrack)—who noted that a solution to the Lebanese crisis cannot be reached without influential people sitting at the table, naming Iran and Hezbollah—several sources close to the “Shiite duo,” some closer to the Amal movement, told Al-Sharq al-Awsat that what Qamati announced “is not incidental and does not come from personal interpretation, but is what is required of him; otherwise the party’s (media relations) spokesperson would not have intervened to clarify.” It was a surprise to opponents. The sources noted that Qamati, who is seen as Hezbollah’s spearhead, surprised his foes not only with attacking them but also with threatening the presidents of the republic, Joseph Aoun, and the government, Najib Mikati’s successor Nofal Salam, and issuing one threat after another to take to the streets to topple the government, rejecting Hezbollah’s weapons’ surrender and betting on the U.S.–Iran Memorandum of Understanding as an alternative to the “Framework Agreement.” Messages exchanged between Washington and Hezbollah Regarding what changed about the contact with the Americans, after Hezbollah used to view the United States as the “great Satan,” sources reveal that messages were exchanged between Hezbollah leadership and Washington through local intermediaries whose names they preferred not to disclose, in addition to Turkey and Qatar, and did not rule out meetings by proxy, perhaps even beyond that, but Qamati is not obliged to disclose them. The sources confirmed that Hezbollah had been avoiding commenting on indirect contact with Washington or responding to what is circulated in this regard via some Lebanese and foreign media, even when MP Hassan Fadlallah was asked about the authenticity of this, he remained with his answer pending. This was interpreted as reflecting the leadership’s desire not to disrupt the process of submitting its files under the mandate of Speaker Nabih Berri, who is handling the negotiations on behalf of the party, and who reached with the U.S. mediator at the time, Amos Hochstein, an agreement to stop the hostilities, culminating in the joint US–France statement. The sources added that Hezbollah’s mandate to Berri remains in place, even though Amal’s leadership shows restraint regarding Qamati’s fiery positions, including his attack on Aoun and Salam, and his threat to take to the streets to topple the government. Contact via intermediaries Sources noted that Hezbollah does not mind contacting Washington through intermediaries but away from the spotlight as long as Iran is included in the communication after signing the Memorandum of Understanding with Pakistan. They said Hezbollah’s indirect contact comes in support of Islamabad’s path, in contrast to its insistence on dissolving the Framework Agreement. They asked: why did Hezbollah fall silent and refuse to comment on President Donald Trump’s remarks during his meeting with Aoun that there was no objection to contact with Hezbollah if asked? Was its refusal to comment a deliberate move to shield domestic attention from its indirect contact with Washington while differing over the Framework Agreement? Political sources, while careful to scrutinize Qamati’s words from the Washington perspective, allow opponents to build on the claim without ignoring the question of why the party stopped communicating with Aoun, though the party leadership understands well that even a willingness to develop contact with Washington would not come at the expense of Aoun and the majority supporting the “Framework Agreement,” but rather within the context of Hezbollah engaging in a settlement on the basis of recognizing exclusive possession of arms by the state. The battle over “Ali al-Tahir” Sources also paused at Qamati’s statement that not responding to every Israeli aggression against “Ali al-Tahir” does not signify weakness or incapacity, and that any attempt by the enemy to advance toward the hills will be met with resistance commensurate with the evolving battlefield, while studying all options related to the situation. In this context, they asked: does Qamati mean by saying Hezbollah is studying all options and is prepared to place the hills of Ali al-Tahir under the army’s custody, or to deposit its document with Berri, noting that the final choice depends on opening a gap to boost contact with Washington to persuade it to abandon the hills in exchange for joining the state project, but on the condition of giving up its weapons, or does he still insist on linking the fate of the hills to the Memorandum of Understanding, which remains pending, with a bet on Iranian leadership not leaving him alone and stepping in at the right time? Some of Hezbollah’s opponents who were not surprised by Qamati’s words considered what he said not a slip of the tongue but a deliberate, measured statement. But intensified contact depends on the party’s readiness to proceed with the settlement arising from the Framework Agreement and separate it from the Memorandum of Understanding, which cannot be implemented unless the Middle East crisis is resolved. This requires Hezbollah to be a partner, even through contact with Aoun and the government, in Lebanese efforts to implement the agreement that alone can separate Lebanon’s crisis from the Middle East, with Washington pressuring Netanyahu as needed to remove obstacles still hindering implementation, thereby securing backing for Aoun, who sees direct negotiations as the only path to outpace his opponents, especially Hezbollah; because going in circles would not serve the supporters of the agreement.

Three senior officials familiar with the matter told Reuters that Iran warned the United States that it would respond forcefully to any Israeli attack on Tal al-Tahrir in south Lebanon, where “Iranian military personnel” are stationed alongside Hezbollah fighters, according to the agency. The agency said the message, delivered last month, “highlights Iran’s ongoing direct involvement in ground fighting in south Lebanon and its readiness to respond to Israeli attacks there, at a time when the regional war is in its seventh month.” Reuters cited Lebanese security sources as saying it is believed that Hezbollah “established an underground command center and weapons depots” inside Tal al-Tahrir, which overlooks southeast Lebanon, and has become one of the most prominent confrontation arenas in the war between Israel and the group. Hezbollah, in public statements, said it controls the hill and will confront any Israeli advance. Hezbollah leaders noted the presence of a facility there but declined to provide details. The Israeli army has occupied large swaths of land south of Tal al-Tahrir, and publicly stated that the hill is a main axis of its operations. Three regional officials told Reuters, after requesting anonymity, that Tehran issued a warning in its message to Washington that any full-scale Israeli attack on the hill would be met with a broad Iranian assault. Southern Lebanon is seeing ongoing Israeli escalation as the results of U.S. talks on resuming the anticipated Lebanese-Israeli talks in Rome are awaited. Hezbollah rejected commenting on whether Iranian forces are present at Tal al-Tahrir. In response to Reuters questions about the message, or whether the United States pressured Israel not to attack the hill, a White House official said, “That is not accurate.” There has been no comment yet from Iran’s permanent mission in Geneva or the U.S. Department of Defense. Israel’s army declined to comment. Reuters said two officials said the message was delivered through Oman, which is mediating. The two regional officials, who had received a briefing from Tehran, said more than ten IRGC elements, including at least two senior officers, were with Hezbollah fighters. The third source, a foreign official with direct knowledge of the message, said it was delivered in mid-August approximately, and Israel postponed storming Tal al-Tahrir due to American pressure. Hezbollah’s media office did not confirm nor deny the Iranian message when contacted by Reuters, but said it was natural for such a warning to be sent about the hill. The Hezbollah media office said, “Iran considers any Israeli movement on the ground in southern Lebanon, especially land expansion, a major violation of the Islamabad Agreement,” referring to the US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed in June, which included a ceasefire in Lebanon. Iran launched missiles toward Israel in early June in response to attacks against Hezbollah in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Despite a ceasefire announced in June, the Israeli army claimed that Hezbollah “is still operating near the hill, and exploded improvised drones twice last week near it toward Israeli forces.” In July, the Israeli army said it carried out an air strike on a Hezbollah fighter near an entrance leading to an underground site on Tal al-Tahrir, and pledged to “not allow the group to operate in the area or pose a threat to Israeli soldiers.” An Israeli military official, who asked to remain anonymous, told Reuters in June that Hezbollah fighters are “trapped underground without food or water.” Israeli newspaper Maariv quoted a military source on Thursday that army estimates suggest there are no Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps forces on Tal al-Tahrir and that some Hezbollah fighters died from lack of food and water. The third official said the Israeli army is trying to force Hezbollah and IRGC elements to come out of their hiding places by besieging them and by shooting down drones that try to deliver food and water to the hill. Hezbollah’s media office told Reuters, “What we saw over the past month is Israeli pressure to trap Tal al-Tahrir to impose a reality inside this facility so that it becomes uninhabitable. This approach, and the absence of a broad attack, implies that the existence of this message sent through several countries and its expected outcomes are possible. This is a natural conclusion.” A Lebanese source familiar with Hezbollah’s stance said the group’s fighters can still reach their positions via the northern side of the hill. Reuters could not independently verify the military situation at Tal al-Tahrir, which the Israeli army has listed as a security area declared unilaterally and occupied by its forces, preventing locals from reaching it. Despite the Iranian warning, the Lebanese source and a senior Lebanese security official said an Israeli operation to seize the hill remains possible in the coming weeks. Hezbollah said any broad attack on Tal al-Tahrir would mean a return to a full-scale war and could trigger rockets against residential areas in northern Israel.

Southern Lebanon is witnessing a continuous Israeli escalation, while the results of American-led talks on resuming the anticipated Lebanese-Israeli negotiations in Rome remain scheduled but undetermined. Since midnight Wednesday until Thursday morning, the Israeli army carried out a series of air strikes, shelling, and demolition operations in several areas of southern Lebanon, with a portion of the attacks concentrated around Nabatieh and Ali al-Taher Mountain. Israeli warplanes raided the Al-Taher Heights near Nabatieh al-Fuqah on Wednesday evening, and in two separate waves targeted the outskirts of the Deir neighborhood in the same town. In the Tire area, a drone aircraft dropped two sound bombs on the Al-Aziziyah-Mansuri road this Thursday morning, while a drone was recorded flying over the Tyre region during the dawn hours. Israeli forces carried out demolition operations in the towns of Hadatha and Wadi Barhashit in Nabatieh County, while the town of Bani Hayan in Marjayoun County came under artillery shelling. The National News Agency reported that an Israeli airstrike targeted the town of Qantara. In the latest toll, the Health Emergency Operations Center of the Lebanese Ministry of Health said the number of Israeli attack casualties from March 2 to September 2 reached 4,354 dead and 12,325 wounded, bringing the total toll since October 8, 2023 to 8,921 dead and 30,561 wounded. Official Lebanese sources told Al-Sharq that the date of the eighth round of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel in Rome, scheduled for September, has not yet been officially set. In contrast, the Israeli army claimed in a Wednesday statement that Hezbollah fighters launched two self-detonated drones at Israeli forces in the Ali al-Taher heights area, adding that its soldiers shot at one of them and managed to intercept it, with no casualties. The Israeli army said its forces responded by striking what it claimed were Hezbollah infrastructure in the Nabatieh area, claiming that the strikes were carried out to remove an imminent threat. Lebanese President Michel Aoun stressed that Lebanon has many opportunities ahead and urged not to waste them in narrow calculations, and to learn from past mistakes to build a better future. Aoun underscored that confronting Lebanon’s challenges requires national unity and internal solidarity, praising Speaker Nabih Berri’s stance, especially his reaffirmation of “the constants of civil peace and adherence to the army and the Taif Agreement as red lines.” He said the main goals of the negotiations have been defined, foremost to spare Lebanon the ravages of war and to protect its sovereignty, stability, and national interests, stressing his openness to “any option or path” that could help achieve these goals, because the priority, he said, is protecting Lebanon and its people. Separately, the Lebanese army warned of information it described as forged and attributed to Israeli media about its positions and tasks in the south. A statement from the army command stated that “the army’s personnel are committed to their directives and assigned tasks, performing their duties out of their belief in their national responsibility to defend Lebanon’s sovereignty, security, and stability, away from any other calculations or considerations.” It noted that “the timing of releasing these rumors and promoting them, in a highly sensitive and critical phase, reveals the danger of attempts to target the army and its leadership, sow doubt within the institution, and undermine trust between it and the Lebanese people.” It also emphasized that “disinformation campaigns, regardless of the actors behind them, will not affect the military institution’s cohesion or its ability to carry out its duties to safeguard Lebanon’s security and stability.”

The Israeli occupation army carried out large-scale explosions in the towns of Bani Hayyan, Hadatha, Baruashit, and Al-Qantara in southern Lebanon. An Israeli artillery shelling also targeted the town of al-Mansouri in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon, in parallel with movement of Israeli vehicles toward the town, which were transferring loaded fuel drums; a Merkava tank and a D9 bulldozer penetrated into the town. Israeli drones also dropped two loud noise bombs on the Al-Aziziyah-Al-Mansouri road. In the context of Israeli violations also; a Israeli force penetrated the town of Halta (Hasbaiya) in the Nabatieh Governorate in the early Thursday morning and surrounded a number of houses after an Israeli contact with the Halta municipality member Hatim Abdul Alawwam and the sheikh Isa Abdul Aal, and three individuals were arrested. Rumors targeting the Lebanese army Meanwhile, Lebanese President Michel Aoun confirmed that Israel continues to violate the framework agreement reached during the Lebanese-Israeli negotiations under American sponsorship, which were held in Washington last June, through continued shelling and the destruction of southern villages that it occupies, as well as razing homes and properties, noting that the army is fulfilling its full duty in the model areas where it has redeployed, and that everything else said about this is aimed at insulting the army, casting doubt on its role and commitment to the decisions of the political authority. President Aoun indicated that rebuilding the south is the responsibility of the Lebanese state, but that cannot be done while the Israeli occupation continues; he welcomed any international assistance in this regard, especially since several countries agreed to hold an international conference to provide the necessary support. Allegations by Israel... what is their content? For its part, the Lebanese army denied the accuracy of an Israeli report claiming the opposition of some of its officers to the Israeli withdrawal from the south for fear of Hezbollah’s return, warning against attempts to target it with a “rumor campaign.” In a statement, the army said claims attributed to hostile Israeli media emerged recently regarding stances related to the army and its tasks in the south, in addition to fabricated news. The Lebanese army affirmed that members of the military institution are committed to its directives and tasks assigned to them; they perform their duties from a national responsibility to defend Lebanon’s sovereignty, security, and stability, far from any other calculations or considerations. The statement added that the army enjoys the trust of brotherly and friendly countries that continue to support it, convinced of the importance of its role, especially in light of exceptional circumstances and the challenges Lebanon faces. Who will replace UNIFIL forces in the south? Regarding the international forces in the south (UNIFIL), Aoun reiterated Lebanon’s insistence on keeping these forces in the south due to the important role they play, and if extending their mandate is not feasible, Lebanon welcomes any fraternal or friendly state wishing to continue UNIFIL’s work, especially in providing support to the army and southern citizens in humanitarian, social, health, and educational fields. Contacts are ongoing to find a legal framework for such international presence. What is happening inside the Israeli occupation army? Separately, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that the Israeli army is facing a severe financial crisis, leading to the paralysis of several tank brigades due to a shortage of spare parts, amid warnings of possible shutdowns in weapon production lines. The defense establishment warned of the potential halt of the Elbit Company’s production of Merkava tank shells in the coming days, with expectations of closing the artillery shell production line in October and mortar shells in November. The authority quoted an Israeli military source as saying that the army’s debt to the defense industries exceeds 15 billion shekels, and that tank brigades suffer from a shortage of spare parts, while hundreds of vehicles destroyed in Lebanon have not been repaired. The source added that the army does not have sufficient capacity to move fighters, and that the budget gap already limits its ability to operate in the West Bank, Gaza, and Lebanon, especially in readiness to confront Iran, warning that if funds are not redirected, the army will not be able to sustain even basic continuity and the efficiency of its forces. The authority also noted the dismissal of dozens of staff in the intelligence division due to budget shortfalls.

Israeli bombardment, incursions, and explosions in several areas in southern Lebanon The Israeli army penetrated the Haltā farm and the al-Manṣūrī village, and carried out explosions in Hadathā and Wādī Brāshīt, according to official Lebanese media Wassim Samih Seifeddine 03 September 2026•Updated: 03 September 2026 LEBANON Beirut/ Wassim Siefeddine/ Anadolu In southern Lebanon on Thursday, a military escalation was witnessed, including Israeli forces’ cross-border incursions into border areas, artillery shelling, military movements, and explosions. The official Lebanese press agency reported that an Israeli force penetrated inside the Haltā farm in the Hasbaya district and surrounded a number of homes. It added that the Israeli forces prevented a number of residents from leaving their homes. In the Sidon (Saida) district, the agency said the Israeli army shelled the town of al-Manṣūrī with artillery, in parallel with the movement of Israeli mechanisms and the transfer of canisters rigged with explosives toward the town. The agency noted a Merkava-type Israeli tank and a D9 bulldozer entering al-Manṣūrī. An Israeli drone also dropped two sound bombs on the Al-‘Azīyah–al-Manṣūrī road. In a related context, Israeli forces carried out explosions in the towns of Hadathā and Wādī Brāshīt, according to the same source. There was also a reported dawn Thursday flight of Israeli drones over the Sidon area. The escalation by Israel in Lebanon continues since March 2, according to Lebanese authorities, who say the attacks have killed more than 4,000 people and injured more than 12,000, in addition to displacing more than a million people. Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades and others since the war that broke out between 2023 and 2024, while it expanded its occupation inside Lebanese territory during the current escalation.

Israel is seeking to gradually seize the strategic Ali al-Taher Heights east of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, while piling diplomatic pressure on the Lebanese state and Hezbollah, which categorically rejects any discussion of evacuating the site, according to sources familiar with the group’s position. The standoff raises the risk that Israel could turn to a “third option”: resuming fighting in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah’s refusal to discuss evacuating Ali al-Taher rests on one point: the site lies “north of the Litani River,” sources familiar with the group’s position told Asharq Al-Awsat. The group “insists on implementing the Nov. 27, 2024 agreement, based on UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which provides for an end to the aggression, an Israeli withdrawal and exclusive state control over weapons south of the Litani,” the sources said. Hezbollah’s reading of the resolution and the agreement, they added, is that “exclusive control over weapons applies only south of the Litani, while the resistance’s weapons north of the river are a Lebanese matter governed by the national security strategy.” Freedom of movement Hezbollah says the “Islamabad agreement” was what brought about the de-escalation and ended the war in Lebanon. At the same time, Tel Aviv entered direct negotiations with Lebanon in Washington, seeking to move away from the US-Iranian negotiating track and separate the two files. Sources familiar with Hezbollah’s position say that reality “gave Israel freedom of movement and freedom to carry out attacks,” leaving unoccupied areas near the yellow line virtually deserted, including Ali al-Taher. Even so, they said, “the arrangement failed to satisfy part of the Israeli public that supports the war and did not restore confidence among residents of northern Israel.” That, the sources said, led Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to inflate the political and security significance of Ali al-Taher, turning it into a symbol so that any seizure of the hill could be presented as a major achievement. Yet “the presumed facility on the hill is smaller than other facilities Hezbollah handed over to the Lebanese army south of the Litani,” they said. US proposal to evacuate the site Israel has been seeking for about 10 weeks to take control of the strategic high ground, with war kept as the last option. A source said Washington is calling for the Lebanese army to take over the site, after which Israel would verify the handover. Hezbollah received the proposal but views it as “a maneuver,” the source said, because all sides already know the group will reject it. The group also sees the request as an attempt by the Lebanese authorities to show Washington that “Lebanon did what was required of it, but Hezbollah refused.” The source said the proposal offers “no guarantees” that the site would not ultimately be handed to Israel if the Lebanese army were told to withdraw, or if it pulled back under Israeli fire. Hezbollah also sees the proposal as an attempt to draw it into arrangements outside the agreement it says it continues to uphold: the November 2024 cessation-of-hostilities deal. The source said the United States had informed Lebanon that it would allow Israel to take control of the high ground without triggering an escalation. Military option With Hezbollah rejecting any proposal to evacuate the site, Israel is left with the military option. That could begin with “gradual encroachment,” Lebanese sources familiar with Israeli movements around the heights said. The strategy involves “making the area unlivable, cutting off supplies and preventing fighters from being rotated in and out,” they said, weakening the position until it falls and allowing Israel to enter after only a limited battle. Israel has been pursuing that approach for about 10 weeks, according to the sources. They said failure of the strategy before Israel’s elections “could lead to an open battle similar to what prevailed before the ceasefire agreement took effect on June 14.” Hezbollah is betting on Iranian intervention if Israel broadens the fighting and breaks with the rules of engagement in place since the ceasefire. That calculation rests on Tehran’s stated position that it would not allow any new territory in southern Lebanon to be carved off by force. Hezbollah also points to remarks by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, made hours after an Israeli strike targeted Hezbollah commanders deep in southern Lebanon last Saturday. Ghalibaf said he was in contact with Hezbollah fighters on the front and checked on them daily to assess conditions and readiness for any new support operation. Risk of renewed war Such developments carry the risk of renewed fighting between Israel and Iran and a fresh deterioration in regional security. But the prospect of war resuming in Lebanon “remains on the table,” the source said. “Ali al-Taher Heights is a flashpoint that could reignite the war,” the source added. “Israel is seeking a security achievement before the elections. Hezbollah, for its part, will not retreat from its firm position that exclusive state control over weapons applies south of the Litani, not north of it.” The source also rejected reports of proposals under which Hezbollah would evacuate its Ali al-Taher facility in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from the occupied city of Bint Jbeil or the town of Khiam. Both lie inside the “yellow line” created by Israel, extending about 10 km (6 miles) into Lebanese territory in what it calls a “security zone.” Hezbollah says no such proposals exist and describes the reports as “baseless.” It views them as “part of a disinformation effort” aimed at blaming Hezbollah for any failure by Israel to withdraw if fighting resumes. The group also accuses the Lebanese state of “deceiving itself,” arguing that Israel “does not accept discussion of a new area, and every time it is given something, it demands more without offering any concession in return.”

The battle for the “Ali al-Taher” heights is placing Hezbollah before a difficult test that goes beyond its ability to defend the hill and prevent its fall. It also tests the effectiveness of the military strategies it has recently developed after conventional strategies failed over the past two years to counter Israel’s military and technological superiority. Can Israel, through firepower, air power and surveillance, suffocate the force deployed in the area and undermine the conditions needed for its survival? Or can the underground fortifications, tunnels, storage facilities and combat capabilities prepared by Hezbollah give it room to continue wearing down Israeli forces and prolong the confrontation? Ability to Maneuver Retired Brigadier General Bahaa Hallal says that, regarding Hezbollah’s military position, “the land still has strategic value for it, but its defensive value automatically declines if it shifts from a controlled area to an exposed area under surveillance.” He explains: “The party’s core strength is not simply holding the hilltop, but its ability to operate in depth and particularly in the surrounding area, while Israel seeks to turn its air and intelligence superiority into permanent ground superiority.” Hallal told Asharq Al-Awsat that “the main challenge facing Hezbollah is maintaining its ability to maneuver. If Israel manages to establish a presence, impose a buffer zone around the hill and prevent the party from moving, the balance of power will gradually begin to shift in its favor.” In this context, underground fortifications are among the most important tools available to the defender. They can reduce the impact of air superiority, preserve a degree of continuity and survivability, and prevent the battle from being decided simply by control of the ground surface. Hallal cautions, however, that fortifications that provide protection from bombardment can become a burden if the area around them becomes besieged or isolated. Isolated Pockets? According to Hallal, this raises the central question in the “Ali al-Taher” battle: “Do the underground facilities still constitute an integrated network for maneuvering and communication, or have they become isolated pockets?” Hallal says the ability to make decisions, communicate and implement them, while maintaining communication channels under pressure, will be among the main challenges facing Hezbollah. However, Hezbollah’s model, historically based on a degree of decentralization and flexibility, may mean that targeting a local position or commander would not necessarily be enough to bring down the entire system. Hallal says the party’s strengths include geographical knowledge, organizational depth, the ability to exploit the mountainous terrain, and the capacity to continue operating despite losing positions. By contrast, he identifies Israel’s superiority in surveillance and air power, as well as the risk of isolation, as its main weaknesses. He says that if Israel succeeds in separating “Ali al-Taher” from Hezbollah’s broader operational theater, the force there will face a more difficult defensive situation. He also considers the destruction of villages, roads and homes to be a major strategic pressure because it strikes part of the social and geographical environment in which any local force operates. A Network of Tunnels Retired Brigadier General George Nader describes the “Ali al-Taher” hill as being of major tactical importance because it overlooks a wide area north of the Litani River and large parts of the area south of it. He also points to its historical significance, as it was previously under Israeli occupation. Nader told Asharq Al-Awsat that, according to the information on which he relies, the hill is an important position for the command of the Radwan Forces. It contains underground facilities and a network of tunnels linked to ammunition, logistics, missiles, drones, fighters and operations rooms. A Bargaining Chip in Negotiations Nader believes that Israeli control of the hill would give Israel greater leverage and a greater ability to impose its terms in future rounds of negotiations, particularly if it manages to turn military control into an established reality on the ground. He believes Israel’s destructive and technological capabilities make the targeting of these facilities and tunnels a possibility, warning that the presence of large quantities of ammunition and missiles in the area could mean that any large-scale destruction operation would have major repercussions. Major Israeli Attack Based on this, Nader expects a major Israeli attack to seize the hill, considering that the objective could have political implications for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who seeks to use control of the site to demonstrate that he has succeeded in striking Hezbollah’s command center in the south, thereby enhancing the security of the northern settlements on the eve of Israeli electoral events. As for Hezbollah’s options in response, Nader believes they appear limited given the difficulty of movement south of the Litani River. This, in his assessment, makes it difficult to divert Israeli forces or force them to disperse their efforts by opening other fronts of movement in the area.

As attention focuses on the reciprocal strikes between the United States and Iran and the Hormuz Strait, a new front opens hundreds of kilometers away that could be more dangerous to the course of the war. In southern Lebanon, the Hill of Ali al-Tahir has transformed from a military site in the confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah into a potential contact point between Israel and Iran themselves, after an Iranian warning that attacking the site could be met with a wide strike on Israel. The warning, conveyed by Tehran to Washington, once again places Lebanon at the center of regional calculations and raises the possibility that the next round of escalation may not come from the Hormuz Strait or a direct strike inside Iran, but from southern Lebanon, especially with Israel raising its military readiness and its officials openly stating that returning to strike Tehran could happen within a short time. Iran warns via Washington… the attack on the hill will be met with a wide response. Reuters cited three senior officials as saying that Iran warned the United States that it would respond strongly if Israel launched a comprehensive attack on Ali al-Tahir Hill in southern Lebanon, where Iranian Revolutionary Guard elements are believed to be present alongside Hezbollah fighters. According to the officials, Tehran conveyed its message to the United States through Oman in mid-August, warning that an Israeli attack on the site would be met with a broad Iranian attack on Israel. Lebanese security sources told Reuters that Hezbollah is believed to have established an underground command center and weapons depots inside the hill overlooking southeastern Lebanon, which has become one of the most sensitive points in the confrontation between the party and Israel. Two officials told the agency that more than ten IRGC elements, including at least two senior officers, were accompanying Hezbollah fighters at the site, while a third official, a foreign source Reuters said had direct knowledge of the Iranian message, explained that Israel postponed storming the hill under U.S. pressure. Nevertheless, the data indicate that the operation has not been completely ruled out by Israeli calculations, and storming the site remains a contemplated option, making any military move around the hill capable of surpassing the traditional boundary of the Israel-Hezbollah confrontation. KATZ threatens: we will return Iran to the “Stone Age.” Israel’s response to the Iranian threat did not delay, and this time came from Defense Minister Yoav Galant, who raised the threat level to targeting Iran’s infrastructure, including energy facilities. Galant said, during a ceremony marking the Jewish New Year, that Israel is watching signs that severe economic pressures and domestic worries in Iran may push Tehran to take what he described as “desperate measures.” He added that any Iranian attack on Israel would relieve it of its constraints, threatening to strike Iran’s infrastructure in its entirety, including energy facilities, and to “return Iran to the Stone Age and darkness,” as he put it, and stressed that Israel is prepared both defensively and offensively for various scenarios, and the army is ready to execute the mission. Galant’s remarks gain additional weight because they came alongside the disclosure of the Iranian message related to southern Lebanon, tying for the first time with such clarity any potential Israeli operation against a Hezbollah site on Lebanese soil and the possibility of a new direct confrontation with Iran. Israel puts its aircraft on high alert. Political threats coincide with actual military preparations. A security official told The Monitor that the Israeli Air Force remains on extreme alert and could return to attacking Iran within a short period, with the official saying, “We know how to pave the way to return to the heart of Tehran quickly.” According to The Monitor, there are differing assessments within the Israeli defense establishment about the timing of the next round; some believe a new confrontation could be near, while others think it could be delayed, but the army is preparing for both scenarios. Israeli officials’ estimates suggest that Iran’s current restraint in directing direct attacks against Israel, despite hitting American bases and interests, can be interpreted in two ways: either Tehran is keeping the Israeli front as a card for a later stage, or it fears the magnitude of the response it might face if it decides to use it. Here, the Lebanon front becomes dangerous, because it could place Iran before a different test; if Israel carries out a operation against a site where information says elements of the IRGC are present, Tehran may face a choice between direct retaliation or backing down from a threat previously conveyed to Washington. If this scenario occurs, Israel’s objectives would not necessarily stop at responding to the attack’s source; Israeli diplomatic sources told The Monitor that the priority in any new confrontation would be destroying what remains of the Iranian nuclear program. In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump did not close the door on continued military operations, even though he said the new campaign against Iran would not last long. Trump told reporters at the White House that the United States is prepared to carry out another attack on Iran “whenever we want,” noting that American strikes targeted Iranian equipment near the Hormuz Strait, including some systems described as defensive and others as offensive. Trump said Iran was trying to build a missile capable of sinking mines, and U.S. forces destroyed it, and also targeted Tehran’s attempts to rebuild radar and missile systems. He added: “It was a very heavy attack last night, and we are ready to strike again whenever we want,” his remarks came after a new round of escalation in which Iran said it attacked American bases and interests in Jordan, Iraq, and Bahrain with missiles and drones, while Kuwait said it was exposed to Iranian attacks. The attacks were followed by American strikes on Iran that killed at least 19 people, in one of the largest human losses in recent months. From Hormuz to Lebanon… where will the next round begin? So far, all sides appear to be trying to keep the escalation within controllable boundaries, but a small hill in southern Lebanon could test this equation. Israel has not abandoned, according to published reports, the option of attacking Ali al-Tahir Hill, and Iran has turned the site into a red line through a prior message to Washington, while American pressure has so far succeeded in delaying the Israeli move rather than erasing it. At the same time, the Israeli Air Force remains on standby, and Netanyahu and Galant declare that any Iranian strike will be met with a broad response, while Trump confirms that American forces are capable of attacking Iran again at any time. While attention in recent period focused on the Hormuz Strait as the region’s most dangerous flashpoint, the next escalation could push further west. Ali al-Tahir Hill is no longer simply a site in the Israel-Hezbollah confrontation in these calculations, but has become a point whose attack could push Iran and Israel back into a direct confrontation, and perhaps open a new round that will be difficult to keep within southern Lebanon’s borders.

Three farmers detained by Israel in Lebanon, village leader says Three Lebanese farmers have been detained by Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, according to the leader of their village. Issa Abedelaal told the BBC that Israeli forces called the three farmers on their mobile phones and instructed them to report to a location, where they were detained and taken away. It came after Israeli forces had entered the village of Halta in Hasbaya province, which lies within a roughly 600 sq km area that Israel continues to occupy. The detentions were reported to the US-led International Monitoring and Implementation Mechanism, which oversees security coordination between Israel and Lebanon. The Israeli military has not replied to a request for comment. Hours later, Israel released another Lebanese civilian held in the country, in what is believed to be the first known civilian release since US-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon began in April. Malek Ghazi was handed over to the Lebanese army by the International Committee of the Red Cross, while Israel says four more Lebanese civilians will be released on Friday. More than 30 Lebanese are still believed to be in Israeli custody, as negotiations between the two countries remain stalled over a framework involving Hezbollah's disarmament, an Israeli withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the south. Ghazi was handed over at the Naqoura crossing before being taken to an army intelligence facility in Tyre for a medical examination. His family says he disappeared last October after leaving home to exercise. Israel's prime minister's office said four other civilians due to be released on Friday had been questioned and found to have no links to armed groups. Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed Ghazi's release and thanked the US for its role in securing it. He said the government would continue working for the release of all Lebanese detainees, information about those still missing, and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. The detainee issue is part of wider US-mediated negotiations, alongside separate efforts to recover the remains of Lebanese Jewish community leaders abducted and killed during the country's civil war. The negotiations also cover a framework agreed in mid-June, under which Hezbollah is expected to disarm, the Lebanese army to deploy in the south and Israeli forces to withdraw gradually, beginning with designated "pilot zones". But the process has made little headway, with Israel questioning the role of the Lebanese army and disagreements over how compliance would be verified. Hezbollah rejects the talks and the pilot-zone concept outright. The two sides have yet to set a date for the eighth round of talks. Lebanese authorities said 11 people were killed in an Israeli air strike on the region in August. Israel's Defense Forces (IDF) said at the time that it had killed a Hezbollah commander in the strike, following an attack against Israeli soldiers.

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), also called al-Hashd al-Shaabi, is a broad coalition ofIraqimilitias that came together in 2014 to fightISISwhen the Iraqi army alone was unable to prevent ISIS from taking over broad swathes of the country. The PMF took the lead in defeating ISIS along the Iraqi front. As a result of its success, the Iraqi government formally recognized it as an auxiliary to the armed forces, granting legitimacy to the coalition and salaries to its fighters. The PMF includes militias from several different political orientations, including Iran-backedShiʿimilitias, Shiʿi militias that opposeIranianintervention in Iraq, and militias that representSunni, Christian, andYazidicommunities. The predominant militias are Iranian-backed members of theAxis of Resistance, including Kataeb Hezbollah, the Badr Organization, ʿAṣāʾib Ahl al-Ḥaqq, and oppose U.S. intervention in Iraq. Despite the PMF’s status as an auxiliary to the armed forces, it was not fully integrated and some of the constituent militias continue to operate independently of the state, including attacking U.S. forces during periods of tension. Under pressure from theUnited Statesin 2026, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered the militias to come under direct state authority. Since the conclusion of a memorandum of understanding in June 2026 that seeks to end theIran war,Iranhas repeatedly threatened and attacked ships passing through theStrait of Hormuz. It hopes to coerce commercial vessels and the international community into following routes and protocols set by Iran that would allow it to control the strait and collect fees on ships passing through. Iran’s activity in the strait has provoked strikes by theUnited States, particularly after three ships were attacked on July 6–7. On July 7, as the United States stepped up strikes against Iranian assets, U.S. Pres.Donald Trumpsaid that he considered the truce to be over. The following day he said that the exchange of fire would not lead to long-term military action, but the conflict escalated considerably in the days ahead. Despite the memorandum of understanding (MoU) reached in June 2026 that seeks to reopen theStrait of Hormuzand end theIran war,Iransought to asserthegemoniccontrol over the strait and eventually collect fees on ships passing through. The country repeatedly warned ships to use preapproved routes and follow protocols set by the regime. It followed up on its threats by firing at multiple ships, including three commercial vessels on July 6–7. Iran’s activity in the strait tested the limits of the MoU and prompted attacks by theUnited Statesin response. Operation Epic Furywas theU.S.code name for its joint military operations withIsraelagainstIranthat began on February 28, 2026, and concluded on May 5. The opening salvo took out the heart of the Iranian regime, Supreme LeaderAli Khamenei, and triggered a torrent of hundreds of retaliatory missiles and thousands of drones from Iran across theMiddle East. The attacks have left enormous damage, thousands of people dead in Iran,Lebanon, Israel, and theGulf Arab states, and millions of people displaced in the region. Tensions between theUnited StatesandIranstretch back to theIslamic Revolutionin 1979 and the subsequentIran hostage crisis, which set a tone of mutual hostility and deep distrust. The immediate concerns leading up to the2026 Iran warincluded Iran’s nuclear program, itsballistic missiles, its military reach in theMiddle Eastregion, and failed attempts torenegotiate a nuclear dealafter the collapse of the 2015Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action(JCPOA) nuclear agreement. On February 28, 2026,U.S.andIsraeliforces launched nearly 900 strikes in 12 hours targeting Iranian missiles, air defenses, military infrastructure, and leadership. The initial wave of strikes killed Supreme LeaderAli Khameneiand dozens of other officials, but it also killed about 170 people when a missile struck a girls’ school adjacent to a naval base in Minab, nearBandar Abbas. In response to the attacks by theUnited StatesandIsraelonIranon February 28, 2026, Iran launched retaliatorymissileanddronestrikes targeting U.S. embassies, military installations, and oil infrastructure (including vessels in theStrait of Hormuz) throughout theMiddle East. Iran hoped its broad retaliation would exact costs and pressure its adversaries into mediation. The 2026 Iran war disrupted global travel and trade, halted flights in and out of theMiddle East, and led to shipping reroutes to avoid theStrait of Hormuzand theRed Sea. 2026 Iran war, conflict centered onIranthat was initiated by theUnited StatesandIsraelon February 28, 2026, and has upended thedynamicsof theMiddle East. The opening salvo took out much of the senior leadership of the Iranian regime, including Supreme LeaderAli Khamenei, and triggered a torrent of hundreds of retaliatory missiles and thousands of drones from Iran across the region. But the regime quickly consolidated under a new set of hard-liners, led byMojtaba Khamenei, and the conflict left enormous damage, thousands of people dead in Iran andLebanon, dozens dead in Israel and theGulf Arab states, and millions of people displaced in the region, including more than one-sixth of the population in Lebanon after thewarprompted the resumption of theIsrael-Hezbollah war. The danger of crossfire and threats from Iran in particular led to severe disruption of traffic through theStrait of Hormuz, one of the world’s mostvolatile oilchokepoints, leading to fuel shortages in parts of Asia and rippling effects across the global economy. The United States and Iran agreed to an initial ceasefire on April 7–8 that included Israel, but in the following weeks the conflict shifted to a game ofbrinkmanshipbetween the United States and Iran over restricted access to the Strait of Hormuz. On June 14 mediators announced amemorandumof understanding that was intended to bring the conflict to a formal end within 60 days of its signing, but in July the conflict resumed after Iran struck three commercial vessels that bypassed its preapproved route. The confrontation took place after years of rising tension over Iran’s nuclear program, itsballistic missiles, and its military reach across the Middle East. Attempts torenegotiate a nuclear deal(after the collapse of theJoint Comprehensive Plan of Action[JCPOA]) in 2025 and 2026 were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Iran’s posture was in a weakened state after years of sanctions, recentdestabilizing protests, damage inflicted during the12-day Warwith Israel in June 2025, and the diminished position of Iran’s allies during theIsrael-Hamas War. Given Iran’s weakened position, the United States and Israel calculated that they had greater opportunity to advance their objectives through military means than by diplomatic means. Midmorning on February 28, U.S. and Israeli forces began conducting joint strikes on Iran, numbering nearly 900 in just the first 12 hours of what the United States dubbed Operation Epic Fury. The attacks targeted Iranian missiles and air defenses, other militaryinfrastructure, and Iranian leadership. According to U.S. and Israeli officials, the timing of the initial attack was tied in part to the ability to targetAli Khamenei, Iran’ssupreme leader, before he would go into hiding. Khamenei was killed in the first wave of strikes on February 28, as were dozens of other top Iranian officials. The attacks generated immediate controversy when it was reported that a girls’ school in a town east ofBandar Abbaswas struck, killing about 170 people. U.S. forces are believed to have conducted the strikes, according to a preliminary investigation by the U.S. military, while targetingadjacentbuildings that belonged to anIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps(IRGC) naval base. Iran’s government was quick to prevent a vacuum in leadership, and its swift movement to replace leaders killed in the conflict indicated both the stability of the regime and the resolve of Iran’s hard-liners in the face of conflict.Ali Larijani, a broadly trusted senior official who had been serving as the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, was believed to have been thede factoleader of Iran in the immediate aftermath of Khamenei’s death and following preparations to that effect before the war began.Mojtaba Khamenei, who was considered more hawkish and repressive than his father, was appointed supreme leader in early March despite protests from U.S. Pres.Donald Trumpthat he would consider that appointment “unacceptable.” When Larijani was killed on March 17, he was replaced by Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, an appointment that reflected the paramountcy of the IRGC over the political or clerical establishments in Iran’s wartime decision-making. The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners. Meanwhile, retaliatory missile anddronestrikes by Iran embroiled the region. They followed a familiar pattern of horizontal escalation,according to the international security scholar Robert A. Papewriting inForeign Affairs. Iran’s war strategy widened the arena of conflict, thereby extending the conflict beyond mere military might and into the political and economic realms, with the aim of withstanding bombardment until the conflict would become too costly for the United States and Israel to be willing to sustain. Iranian strikes targeted U.S. embassies and military installations in theUnited Arab Emirates,Saudi Arabia,Qatar,Kuwait,Bahrain,Iraq,Oman, andJordan.NATOforces struck down Iranian drones and missiles near the Incirlik Air Base inTurkey(Türkiye). Iranian attacks also targeted oil infrastructure in the region—including vessels in theStrait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil passes—as well as commercialhubsin neighboring countries that aid the U.S. military. By late March officials in the IRGC suggested Iran may push itsHouthiallies inYemento blockBab el-Mandeb Straitto disrupt shipping in theRed Seaand further strain global markets. It remained unclear whether the Houthi movement, which in 2025 had reached a ceasefire with the United States in relation to its attacks on Red Sea shipping, was willing to confront U.S. pressure directly, but on March 28 it launched missiles and drones toward Israel and opened a new front in the expanding regional conflict. The Strait of Hormuz increasingly became a focal point of the war in March, particularly as other countries hesitated to enter the conflict in order to enforce safe passage. On March 21 Trump threatened to target Iran’s civilian energy infrastructure if Iran did not agree to allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without interference. He then extended the threat toKharg Island, the terminal for nearly all of Iran’s oil exports, and todesalinationplants on March 30. Days later he set a deadline for Iran of April 7 and took tosocial mediawith a series of increasinglyvehementposts. On the morning of April 7 he wrote in one such post that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” On April 7–8 Trump announced on social media that he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire brokered byPakistan. Moments later, Iranian officials confirmed that Khamenei had approved the ceasefire after a last-minute nudge byChina. Transportation through the Strait of Hormuz continued to move at a trickle and remained a major point ofcontentionin efforts to forge a more lasting ceasefire. Direct negotiations took place inIslamabad, Pakistan, on April 11–12 between U.S. Vice Pres.JD Vanceand Iranian parliament speakerMohammad Bagher Ghalibaf—the highest-level direct engagement between the United States and Iran since the1979 Iranian Revolution. But when those talks failed to produce an agreement, Trump ordered theU.S. Navyto begin a blockade of the strait to prevent the passage of any ships transiting through Iranian ports. As the ceasefire’s two-week deadline came to a close, Trump announced that the United States would continue toceasefire until the Iranian delegation could present the U.S. delegation with a proposal to end the war that was backed by all factions of the Iranian government. No deadline was set for the extension of the U.S. ceasefire, and proposals put forward by either side to end the war were met with rejection in the weeks ahead. The conflict also saw the resumption of hostilities between Israel and Iran’s close allyHezbollahinLebanon, which had been observing a fragile ceasefire since 2024 (seeIsrael-Hezbollah war). Despite the ceasefire, which required the disarmament of Hezbollah and the withdrawal of theIsrael Defense Forces(IDF) from southern Lebanon, Hezbollah had been seeking to restore its militarycapabilitiesand the IDF had continued to strike targets in southern Lebanon almost daily. After the opening wave of attacks on Iran on February 28, the IDF conducted air strikes on Hezbollah’s infrastructure and warned the militant group against getting involved in the conflict with Iran. On March 2, Hezbollah launched missiles and drones into Israel, prompting an escalation in Israeli air strikes that reached north to southernBeirut. A drone believed to have been launched by Hezbollah also struck a base inCyprusused by the BritishRoyal Air Force. In the following days Israel issued sweeping evacuation orders across southern Lebanon, displacing more than 1,100,000 people by late March. A limited invasion began on March 17 amid reports that a broader ground offensive was likely. On March 24 Israeli minister of defense Israel Katz announced plans for the IDF to occupy southern Lebanon up to theLitani River, aswathof territory that the IDF had previously occupied in 1982 during theLebanese Civil War(1975–90) until Israeli forces withdrew in 2000. After the United States and Iran announced their ceasefire in early April, there was disagreement among the parties on whether Lebanon was included. Just hours after the announcement the IDF conducted a blitz across Lebanon that killed hundreds of people and wounded more than 1,000 others, straining the ceasefire between the United States and Iran. The United States then pushed Israel to lower the temperature and engage in negotiations to end the conflict in Lebanon. On April 14 the United States hosted the highest level engagement between Israel and Lebanon since 1993 and, on April 16, Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that was set to begin the following day. A week later the formal ceasefire was extended by three weeks, although Israel and Hezbollah traded frequent fire during that period. Commitments to a ceasefire were repeatedly renewed, but few signs indicated that an end to the hostilities was in sight. On May 30 IDF ground forces crossed north of the Litani River for the first time since the2006 Lebanon War, a 34-day confrontation between the IDF and Hezbollah after Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others during a cross-border attack. Tensions ebbed and flowed throughout the duration of the ceasefire reached by the United States and Iran, although it largely held. Attacks took place,albeitinfrequently and with restraint, while negotiations reportedly came close in May to producing a memorandum of understanding that would lead to the war’s end. Among the clearest obstacles, however, was the ongoing conflict in Lebanon. Iran continued to press for an end to Israeli attacks in Lebanon as a condition for any lasting end to the war with the United States and Israel. After the IDF struck southern Beirut on June 7, days after the latest ceasefire in the Lebanon conflict, Iran launched waves ofballisticmissiles toward Israel and prompted retaliation from Israel. The brief exchange of fire marked the first time since the ceasefire in early April that Iran and Israel had engaged in direct confrontation. Renewed IDF strikes in the Beirut area on June 14 reportedly prompted Iran to respond once more, but intervention from the United States prevented the retaliation from taking place so that a memorandum of understanding could move forward. On June 14Shehbaz Sharif, theprime ministerofPakistanand a key mediator, announced that the United States and Iran had finalized a memorandum of understanding. Minutes later Trump announced on social media the immediate lifting of the U.S.naval blockadeof ships in the Strait of Hormuz that had docked at Iranian ports. The memorandum included the cessation of hostilities

Gift this articleShare to FacebookPrint article Article printing is available to subscribers only Print in a simple, ad-free format Subscribe Comments: SaveZen Reading Zen reading is available to subscribers only Ad-free and in a comfortable reading format Subscribe The prime minister is not the military's commander in chief, and Israeli generals have challenged him before. With an election two months away, Eyal Zamir must be prepared to do so again !עפר שלח Ofer Shelah 03:57 AM • August 24 2026 IDT In September 2019, just as Israel was about to hold its second general election that year, rockets were fired from Gaza during a visit by Benjamin Netanyahyu to the southern Israeli coastal city of Ashdod. Days later it was reported that the prime minister's demand that the military launch a large-scale operation in the Strip met with opposition from then-IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, other senior officers and then-Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit: They argued that such an operation risked developing into a wider war on the eve of an election and required the approval of the security cabinet. Loading... Click the alert icon to follow topics: FollowIsraeli elections FollowEyal Zamir FollowIDF FollowIsraeli politics FollowBenjamin Netanyahu Comments Your Perspective Belongs Here Want to reply? Subscribe to join the conversation SUBSCRIBE Already signed up? Log in Loading... In the News In the News: Live UpdatesAltalenaE1SyriaWest BankNetanyahuGazaMansour AbbasPollsHaQuizHaaretz Podcast ICYMI Trending Now Trending Now Trending Now Trending Now Trending Now ICYMI

Current section Print in a simple, ad-free format Ad-free and in a comfortable reading format The prime minister is not the military's commander in chief, and Israeli generals have challenged him before. With an election two months away, Eyal Zamir must be prepared to do so again In September 2019, just as Israel was about to hold its second general election that year, rockets were fired from Gaza during a visit by Benjamin Netanyahyu to the southern Israeli coastal city of Ashdod. Days later it was reported that the prime minister's demand that the military launch a large-scale operation in the Strip met with opposition from then-IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, other senior officers and then-Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit: They argued that such an operation risked developing into a wider war on the eve of an election and required the approval of the security cabinet.

Gift this articleShare to FacebookPrint article Article printing is available to subscribers only Print in a simple, ad-free format Subscribe Comments: SaveZen Reading Zen reading is available to subscribers only Ad-free and in a comfortable reading format Subscribe !יניב קובוביץ!Reuters Yaniv Kubovich and Reuters September 03, 2026Updated:02:35 PM IDT The Israeli military said on Thursday that it took over the strategic Ali Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon, where Iranian army personnel are reportedly holed up alongside Hezbollah fighters in what the IDF says are large underground command-and-control centers. Loading... Click the alert icon to follow topics: FollowMiddle East FollowLebanon FollowIDF FollowIran FollowIran Revolutionary Guards FollowIsrael - U.S. FollowIsrael - Iran FollowHezbollah Comments Your Perspective Belongs Here Want to reply? Subscribe to join the conversation SUBSCRIBE Already signed up? Log in Loading... In the News In the News: Live UpdatesIran-U.S.West BankSara NetanyahuGazaCafe BasimtaDesalinationHouse Bill PollHaQuizHaaretz Podcast ICYMI Trending Now Trending Now Trending Now Trending Now Trending Now ICYMI

- i24NEWS - Middle East - Iran warns US against Israeli offensive on Hezbollah-held Lebanon ridge - report Iran warns US against Israeli offensive on Hezbollah-held Lebanon ridge - report Hezbollah is believed to have built an underground command center and weapons stores within the Ali al-Taher ridge, which offers a commanding view of southeastern Lebanon Iran has warned the United States that it would launch a large-scale attack if Israel mounts a full offensive on the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, Reuters reports. According to three officials briefed on the message, Iranian military personnel are believed to be positioned alongside Hezbollah fighters in the region. The warning, delivered in August, underscores Iran's continued direct involvement in ground fighting in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah is believed to have built an underground command center and weapons stores within the ridge, which offers a commanding view of southeastern Lebanon and has become one of the most contested areas in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. Hezbollah has publicly said it controls the ridge and will confront any Israeli advance, referring to a "facility" there without providing further details. Israel's military has occupied territory south of the ridge and identified it as one of its "primary operational focuses." Two regional officials briefed by Tehran told Reuters that the message was delivered via Oman, which has served as a mediator. They also said that more than a dozen Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members, including at least two senior officers, were positioned alongside Hezbollah fighters at the ridge. A third official said it was delivered around mid-August and that US pressure had led Israel to delay storming the ridge. A White House official disputed the account, saying "this is not accurate." According to Israeli newspaper Maariv, citing a military source, Israel assesses no IRGC forces remain at the ridge and that some Hezbollah fighters have died from lack of supplies. Israel has been reportedly attempting to besiege the site, shooting down drone deliveries of food and water in an effort to render it "uninhabitable." Despite Iran's warning, a Lebanese source and a senior Lebanese security official said an Israeli operation to capture the ridge remains possible in the coming weeks. Hezbollah has said any large-scale assault on Ali al-Taher would mark a return to full-scale war and could result in missile strikes on northern Israeli communities.

"i24NEWS - Middle East - A new Iranian threat from Lebanon.. "We will respond forcefully" if Israel moves against Ali al-Taher A new Iranian threat from Lebanon.. "We will respond forcefully" if Israel moves against Ali al-Taher Reuters said that Iran warned the United States that it "will respond forcefully" to an Israeli attack in the region • According to the report, Iranian soldiers are taking shelter alongside Hezbollah fighters. Reuters reported today (Thursday) that Iran warned the United States that it would "respond forcefully" to an Israeli attack on Mount Ali Taher in southern Lebanon. According to the report, Iranian soldiers are taking shelter on the mountain alongside Hezbollah fighters. <<< Join i24NEWS's new WhatsApp channel in Hebrew >>> The message conveyed last month reinforces Iran’s direct and ongoing involvement in ground fighting in southern Lebanon, and its readiness to respond to Israeli attacks, after six months have passed since the outbreak of the Israeli operation According to Lebanese security sources, estimates indicate that Hezbollah has built an underground command center and weapons depots within the Ali Taher mountain range, overlooking southeast Lebanon, which has become one of the main battlefronts in the war between Israel and Hezbollah. This report comes after we published earlier this week that two steps intended to resolve the crisis in southern Lebanon had failed, and Lebanese sources estimate that as a result the likelihood of Israel undertaking a major operation against Hezbollah infrastructure on Mount Ali Taher is increasing. The first failed step was a U.S. attempt to open a direct dialogue channel with Hezbollah with Turkish and Qatari mediation, which apparently did not bear fruit due to Iranian instructions. The second step was an attempt by Lebanon’s President and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to persuade the organization to transfer control of the mountain range to the Lebanese army, an attempt that also faced Israeli opposition for fear it would not lead to the dismantling of the infrastructure."

Iran has warned the U.S. that it will target Israel if it attacks a ridge in Lebanon where military members are holed up along with Hezbollah fighters, according to a new report. The area in question, called the Ali al-Taher ridge, overviews southern Lebanon. Reuters detailed that Hezbollah is believed to have built an underground complex housing a command center and is also holding weapons there. Israel has said the ridge is one of its "primary operational focuses." Citing officials familiar with the matter, the outlet went on to note that any offensive would catalyze a full-scale Iranian attack on Israel. An Israeli official also told Reuters that fighters are stuck underground without food or water and there are no members of Iran's revolutionary guard there. A Lebanese source, in turn, said fighters can access the position through the north. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reacted to the development, saying that such an attack would free the country "from all constraints" and lead the country to "strike all infrastructure — including energy infrastructure — and return Iran to the Stone Age and darkness." Iran is again escalating attacks against the U.S. in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington forces struck two Iranian tankers on Tuesday, with an official telling Axios that the decision is part of a new "tanker for tanker" strategy that has been approved by President Donald Trump. The outlet went on to note that the vessels in question were anchored off Iran's coast and north of the blockade that U.S. forces have been imposing. They were part of the about 100 targets hit on Tuesday, which also included air defense sites, radar systems and mine-laying capabilities. President Donald Trump said on social media that the attacks were taking place, saying they are "in retaliation for the Iranians' failed attempt at adding sea mines to the Strait, which currently has no mines (They have been completely removed or detonated!), and the Iranians shooting eight missiles, all successfully knocked down, at our Military Base in Jordan." Iran, however, retaliated hours later. Forces the IRGC said they would "tighten the lock" on the Strait of Hormuz. "Hours ago, in indiscriminate attacks born of desperation, the invading US military bombed several locations along Iran's southern coast, including several civilian sites," reads a passage of the statement. "The IRGC's fighters have begun a response that will make the aggressors regret their actions," it added. However, U.S. forces said the attack failed as about half of the 25 ballistic missiles launched managed to reach Jordanian airspace. Ten of those were intercepted and three hit the ground without causing casualties. Tehran also launched dozens of drones at Bahrain and Kuwait, but most were intercepted. "The Iranians have not only lost control of the Strait of Hormuz, they have also lost control over the conflict. They got nothing today," a U.S. official told the outlet. © Copyright IBTimes 2026. All rights reserved.

The Israeli military struck Hezbollah infrastructure near Nabatieh in southern Lebanon on Wednesday after the group launched two explosive drones toward Israeli troops, the IDF said. The drones targeted soldiers operating near the Ali al-Taher Ridge in Israel’s security zone. Troops shot down one drone, while no Israeli casualties were reported. The IDF said the sites struck near Nabatieh were used to plan and direct attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers. It described the strikes as necessary to eliminate an immediate threat. Peru severed diplomatic relations with Iran on Tuesday, accusing Tehran of escalating conflicts in the Middle East, restricting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and obstructing nuclear inspections. “The government of the Republic of Peru has decided to sever diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the Foreign Ministry said. Lima cited what it described as Iran’s repression of peaceful protests, restrictions on press freedom, discrimination against women and girls, and persecution of political opponents. “Within the framework of its firm commitment to defending democracy, a fundamental principle of its foreign policy, Peru has observed with growing concern the deterioration of democracy in Iran, as documented by various United Nations mechanisms, particularly regarding the repression of peaceful protests, violations of press freedom, discrimination against women and girls, and the persecution of political opponents,” read the statement. The ministry said Iranian restrictions and disruptions to international trade through Hormuz since March violated freedom of navigation, harmed energy markets and threatened global supply chains. “The government of Peru views with deep concern the severe restrictions imposed by the Iranian regime, as well as the disruption of international trade through the Strait of Hormuz since March 2026, because they contravene principles such as freedom of navigation and the right of passage through straits used for international maritime transit, which cannot be subject to unilateral conditions, while also affecting navigational safety, the protection of human life at sea and the preservation of the marine environment, in addition to their repercussions for energy prices and the stability of global supply chains,” the foreign ministry said. Lima also linked the diplomatic rupture to broader security concerns, accusing Tehran of fueling regional violence and denying UN nuclear inspectors’ access to facilities needed to verify that Iran was not developing nuclear weapons. “The government of Peru also strongly rejects Iran’s incitement to violence and the escalation of conflicts in the Middle East, as well as its obstruction of the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency,” it said. Peru will maintain consular relations to protect the two countries’ citizens and interests. The decision was communicated to Tehran through Iran’s embassy in Ecuador, which also covers Peru. Iranian authorities did not immediately respond to Peru’s decision. Calls for preemptive strikes on US forces are growing in Iran after renewed US attacks, intensifying debate over whether Tehran should shift away from a mainly retaliatory strategy. The latest cycle began with a US strike on Revolutionary Guards targets on Larak Island in Hormozgan province Sunday night, after a period in which Washington had increasingly emphasized economic pressure, a naval blockade and additional sanctions on Iran. Iranian authorities initially reported two deaths, but the toll later rose to three after one of the wounded died in hospital, according to the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency. US Central Command said the Larak strike targeted an “imminent threat,” alleging Revolutionary Guards forces were preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines toward the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran rejected that account. Iran responded early Monday with missile and drone attacks on two US bases in Jordan, according to the Revolutionary Guards, which said it had targeted technical and maintenance infrastructure and areas where fighter jets were stationed. Iran’s army separately said it had launched dozens of explosive drones at US personnel and helicopters at Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates. Iran also said after the Larak strike that its forces had shot down US MQ-9 drones over and east of the Strait of Hormuz. There was no immediate US confirmation of those claims. The confrontation escalated further Tuesday when President Donald Trump announced “large and powerful” US strikes on Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz, warning Tehran that retaliation would trigger attacks at a “much harder and higher level.” CENTCOM later said it had completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets including air defenses, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications sites. US officials told Axios that around 100 targets were struck. Trump later told Fox News that Iranian radar systems were among the targets. “They tried to rebuild their radar because they can’t see anything,” he said. “We waited until it was almost built and then we hit it.” Iran responded with another round of missile and drone attacks on US positions across the region. The Revolutionary Guards said it targeted US facilities in Jordan and Erbil, while Iran’s army said it launched a large-scale drone attack on Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain. Bahrain said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed Iranian drones over the kingdom. The IRGC also said it had begun responding to the latest US strikes and claimed its air defenses had shot down what it called the 50th US MQ-9 drone. The claim has not been independently confirmed. Calls for a change in strategy The widening exchange has unfolded alongside an increasingly explicit debate inside Iran over whether its armed forces should move from retaliating after attacks toward acting when they detect signs that an attack is imminent. Iran’s leadership has not formally announced any shift toward a preemptive doctrine. But even before Trump announced Tuesday’s new strikes, political figures close to the establishment were arguing that the confrontation had exposed the limits of diplomacy and of waiting to respond after US military action. Ali Gholhaki, a political activist close to parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, argued Tuesday that the Larak strike had demonstrated the “audacity of the United States” and showed that Washington was prepared to resume significant military action after a period of relative restraint. He also said expectations of reviving the Islamabad understanding had been disappointed. “It seems that resolving the issues in the ‘military field’ — given the conditions inside and outside Iran — will be more feasible than ‘diplomacy,’” he wrote. The argument contrasts with President Masoud Pezeshkian’s continued insistence Tuesday that Iran was prepared to return to the Islamabad memorandum if the United States resumed compliance with its commitments. Nour News, a website close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Tuesday that the Larak attack and Iran’s response should not be viewed simply as another cycle of “attack and retaliation,” but as a “sign of a change in the battlefield.” The website linked Mohsen Rezaei’s appointment as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council to an approach aimed at raising the costs of US military decisions and shifting some of the war’s pressure toward the US economy and domestic politics. “In the previous model, the United States attacked and Iran responded to maintain deterrence. But in the new model, the response is not only to punish the aggressor; rather, the action must be designed in a way that makes the next US decision more difficult and costly,” Nour News wrote. It argued that Iran was seeking to confront Washington with a dilemma: restraint by the United States could be interpreted in Tehran as evidence that the threat of force had lost some of its deterrent value, while further US attacks could raise risks to energy supplies and economic stability. Tasnim, which is affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, similarly portrayed the speed of Iran’s response to the Larak strike as evidence that the gap between political decision-making and military action was narrowing. The agency argued that Iran should move from an “immediate response after an attack” toward readiness for “action at the first serious signs of an attack,” while acknowledging the political and strategic risks of such a shift. Hardline lawmaker Mahmoud Nabavian went further, openly calling for a preemptive attack on US interests across the Middle East. “Given the enemy’s depleted war reserves, rising fuel prices and the proximity of the US congressional elections, the enemy is seeking to reduce tensions,” Nabavian wrote on X. “So now is the best time for a preemptive attack on US interests in the region, forcing the enemy to retreat and breaking the blockade.” He described failing to act as “wasting the opportunity.” The calls do not amount to an announced change in Iranian military doctrine. But they show a growing argument among hardline and security-linked voices that waiting for each US strike before responding leaves Washington with too much control over the pace of escalation. Hormuz becomes central to military calculus The debate is closely tied to the struggle over the Strait of Hormuz, where both sides increasingly portray military pressure and control of commercial shipping as part of the same confrontation. Iranian officials continue to insist that ships cannot transit the strategic waterway without coordination with Tehran. Lawmaker Esmail Kosari said Tuesday that vessels attempting to cross without coordination would be confronted by the Revolutionary Guards. In a video interview Tuesday, Ghalibaf said: “The Americans falsely assure ships that they can pass through the Strait, but those ships come under attack.” Iranian military-linked outlets have also reported attacks or threats against vessels Tehran considers noncompliant. The IRGC said one supertanker caught fire after striking two naval mines, but CENTCOM rejected that account and said no vessel had struck mines in the Strait. Fars separately reported that a Saudi tanker,Cedar, had stopped while transiting the southern corridor of the Strait, but did not establish that Iranian forces had detained the vessel. The maritime confrontation widened further Tuesday when the US military struck two Iranian government tankers. Axios reported that the attack was carried out under a new “tanker for tanker” policy approved by Trump in response to Iranian attacks on shipping. US officials said the two tankers were anchored off Iran’s coast north of the US naval blockade line when drones launched missiles into their engine rooms. Axios said it was the first time the US military had struck Iranian tankers in retaliation for attacks on shipping rather than to enforce the blockade. The escalation leaves the debate inside Iran no longer centered solely on how to answer individual US attacks. Increasingly, the argument is over whether Tehran should try to anticipate them — and whether doing so would strengthen deterrence or instead accelerate an already widening regional war. An Iranian court has sentenced Ali Zarei Doozdarresi, a protester shot by security forces and blinded in one eye during the 2022 protests, to death after he returned from Germany and was arrested upon arrival in Iran, US-based rights outlet HRANA reported. Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court convicted Zarei of “corruption on Earth,” based on alleged acts including extensive political activity, producing false news, propaganda against the establishment, disrupting security and unauthorized entry into and exit from the country, according to HRANA. The death sentence was communicated to him on August 23, HRANA said. Zarei, around 27 and from Tehran, was arrested by Intelligence Ministry agents on April 28 after returning to Iran. His case was initially handled by Branch 3 of Tehran Prosecutor’s Office District 33, known as the Security Prosecutor’s Office, before he was transferred to Qezel Hesar Prison in Karaj on June 30. He is currently being held in Unit 3, Ward 37 of the prison, according to HRANA. Zarei lost sight in his right eye after being shot during the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests. He was later detained in December 2023 while visiting the graves of protesters killed in the crackdown at Tehran’s Behesht-e Zahra cemetery and spent 33 days in solitary confinement in Evin Prison. He subsequently left Iran and reached Germany on a humanitarian visa. While in Germany, Zarei appeared on stage at a February 14 rally in Munich held on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference alongside exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi who had called for the gathering. Iranian authorities have increasingly used the death penalty against protesters and political dissidents. Amnesty International has accused authorities of continuing to “weaponize the death penalty to repress dissent,” saying politically motivated death sentences have followed grossly unfair trials. Last month, Norway-based Iran Human Rights said 29 people arrested in connection with the January 2026 protests had been executed since March 19, in addition to two protesters from the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom movement. The group said hundreds of protesters were facing the death penalty and warned of an escalation in executions of political prisoners. The US-based Center for Human Rights in Iran has also said authorities are increasingly using fast-tracked group prosecutions to sentence protesters to death, describing the practice as part of a strategy to punish those who joined protests and deter future dissent. The UN nuclear watchdog says it remains unable to determine the status of Iran’s fourth declared uranium-enrichment facility after Tehran failed to provide information or allow inspectors access to the site. A confidential quarterly International Atomic Energy Agency report said the agency had made no progress over the past three months in verifying key parts of Iran’s nuclear program, with its continued lack of access to nuclear material remaining a proliferation concern, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing a copy of the report it had seen. Iran has provided neither information on the status of affected declared nuclear facilities and material nor access needed for on-site verification at the Isfahan Fuel Enrichment Plant. Iran notified the IAEA on June 12, 2025 that it intended to establish the plant at the Nuclear Reactors Fuel Company site in Isfahan, making it the country’s fourth declared uranium-enrichment facility after two plants at Natanz and one at Fordow. The IAEA planned to carry out its first design verification at the new facility the following day, but the visit was cancelled when Israeli strikes on Iran began. The agency has never inspected the plant and says it does not know its precise location, whether it became operational or whether it contained nuclear material. Iran later told the IAEA that the facility had been subjected to military attack, which the agency has been unable to verify. The uncertainty forms part of a wider gap in the IAEA’s knowledge of Iran’s nuclear material since the June 2025 attacks. Its last estimate before losing verification put Iran’s uranium stockpile at 2,391.1 kg enriched up to 2%, 6,024.4 kg up to 5%, 184.1 kg up to 20% and 440.9 kg enriched up to 60%, close to weapons grade. The agency has since been unable to verify the current quantities or whereabouts of the material. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said earlier this year that the agency believed a little more than 200 kg of Iran’s 60%-enriched uranium had been stored in the wider Isfahan tunnel complex and was likely still there. That storage area is distinct from the fourth enrichment facility whose status the

With the stabilization of the IDF security zone in southern Lebanon (the “Yellow Line"), we assess, based on several incidents that occurred in recent months, that the threat within the security zone may manifest in three principal scenarios: Hezbollah operatives “trapped" in the area; limited attempts to infiltrate cells; and large quantities of weapons, with concern that they may be booby-trapped. Hezbollah’s force model on the eve of October 7, 2023, no longer exists. The broad invasion plan to capture the Galilee has been neutralized; the defense plan, with an emphasis on the area south of the Litani and the contact line, has collapsed; and the massive fire plan no longer exists in its previous form. In our assessment, the organization is adapting itself to a prolonged, low-intensity war. The emerging model appears to be based on guerrilla warfare, small cells, localized infiltrations, explosive charges, drones, and dispersed rocket fire intended to preserve continuity of combat. Hezbollah’s recovery efforts face significant constraints within Lebanon, in Syria, and on the part of Iran and Israel. As we noted in previous publications, drones, and FPV drones in particular, are becoming the core of Hezbollah’s force buildup. However, we assess that the shortage of skilled operators and the complexity of operating drones (for example, without GPS) are limiting the pace at which the array is developing. The strategic “boutique" arrays (such as precision missiles, cruise missiles, and shore-to-sea missiles) do not appear to have demonstrated effectiveness or a sufficient cost-benefit ratio during the war. Their use appears to have been minimal, if at all. The ground threat has not disappeared, but has diminished. Instead of a large-scale invasion, Hezbollah may deploy cells numbering up to several dozen operatives to infiltrate the security zone in southern Lebanon or Israeli territory. Added to this is a scenario of “special activity"-a covert infiltration (see Megiddo, March 2023). The rocket array remains a threat because of its ability, in our assessment, to generate continuity of fire from several areas and against a variety of targets. The current assessment is that Hezbollah possesses fewer than 15,000 rockets. The number of Hezbollah regular operatives is currently estimated at fewer than 40,000, alongside a large pool of reserve operatives (whose number we estimate at tens of thousands). To date, the IDF has eliminated approximately ten thousand operatives (regular and reserve). Iran continues to exert significant influence over Hezbollah’s decision-making. Elements of the “Lebanon Corps" in the Quds Force are involved in directing procurement and force buildup. In our assessment, the physical Iranian presence is concentrated in the Beirut and Beqaa areas, and there is currently no operational Iranian presence south of the Litani. In conclusion, Hezbollah is transitioning from the structure of a large-scale terrorist army to a dispersed, flexible force with functional continuity. The security zone provides Israel with operational depth, but as time passes, it may become an arena for Hezbollah guerrilla activity against the IDF. Therefore, the current window of opportunity must be utilized to thwart Hezbollah’s recovery already at the stages of procurement, smuggling, production, storage, training, and knowledge transfer, before the relatively limited threat becomes reestablished as a strategic threat. Situation Assessment Hezbollah is currently at a point of transition. The organization has sustained unprecedented damage to its operatives, commanders, infrastructure, and strategic arrays, but it has not been defeated and has not relinquished its objectives. It continues to invest resources in military recovery and force buildup, while adapting its force structure and operational plans to the new reality that has emerged in Lebanon and the region. In our assessment, the principal change is not in the very existence of the threat, but in its nature. Hezbollah currently appears to be having difficulty reconstructing the force model that existed on the eve of October 7, 2023: a fire plan based on launching thousands of rockets is not feasible in view of the arsenal at its disposal; the large-scale invasion plan to capture the Galilee has been neutralized by the destruction of its infrastructure along the contact line and by the very presence of the IDF in southern Lebanon; and defense arrays that relied on a large order of battle and fixed infrastructure have collapsed, particularly in the area south of the Litani (the area Hezbollah defined as the “first defensive strip"). Instead, in our assessment, the organization is gradually converging on a more limited and flexible model: guerrilla warfare, the potential threat of localized infiltrations, explosive charges, and drones, and, with regard to the rocket-fire array, its transformation into a dispersed array in order to enable continuity of combat over time. The limited model described above may be less destructive in terms of daily firepower, but it is not necessarily easier to confront. On the contrary, in our assessment, Hezbollah seeks to adapt it for operation under conditions of Israeli intelligence and aerial superiority and an IDF presence within the security zone (the “Yellow Line") in southern Lebanon. Three Dimensions of the Threat Within the Security Zone With the stabilization of the IDF security zone in southern Lebanon, we assess, based on several incidents that occurred in recent months, that the Hezbollah threat against IDF forces within the security zone may manifest in three principal scenarios: The first is the phenomenon of the “trapped enemy": Hezbollah operatives who remained in the area after the IDF’s advance, hid in underground infrastructure, houses, and dense terrain, and are now located within the Israeli lines of activity in the security zone. Some are cut off from their frameworks and command arrays, but their very presence on the ground enables them to open fire, plant explosive charges, or attempt to harm forces during area-clearance operations. This means that even territory that has been captured does not necessarily become free of threats. During recent months, several incidents occurred in which IDF forces encountered individual Hezbollah operatives within the security zone. The second is a deliberate infiltration effort. In our assessment, its current scope is limited, and we understand that many of the attempts are thwarted. Nevertheless, the very attempt to infiltrate cells into the security zone indicates the development of a pattern resembling, in its characteristics, the period of the former security zone: monitoring force activity, identifying vulnerabilities, planting explosive charges, firing at short range, and withdrawing or hiding within the civilian area. The security zone should not be viewed solely in terms of the presence of operatives. Even when no Hezbollah cell is identified, the area itself may be saturated with weapons, mines, and explosive charges placed over the years or during the war, some of which may be booby-trapped. Accordingly, the third principal threat scenario is the threat posed by the military infrastructure remaining in the area. Even before and during the war, over the years we pointed to the embedding of Hezbollah infrastructure within the civilian area in southern Lebanon and to the use of homes, public buildings, businesses, factories, and agricultural areas for weapons storage. The war publicly exposed the scale of the weapons in Hezbollah’s aboveground and underground terrorist infrastructure, which the organization constructed over more than two decades. The large quantities of weapons located in this infrastructure had significant potential to be booby-trapped by Hezbollah. On August 5, two IDF soldiers were killed and four were wounded as a result of an explosive charge detonating in a building in the village of Majdal Zoun. Since, as of this writing, we do not know the circumstances of the explosion, the incident is a potential example of the latter two scenarios: a Hezbollah cell that infiltrated Majdal Zoun in the security zone and planted the charge, or a building that Hezbollah had previously booby-trapped. The task of clearing the area is expected to be prolonged, and it requires a combination of intelligence, engineering, ground activity, and continuous control of the area. Military Recovery: High Determination in the Face of Constraining Conditions Hezbollah is investing substantial resources in restoring its capabilities, but it is currently operating under a system of constraints considerably more significant than those that characterized it in the past. Within Lebanon, supervision at the airport and seaports has tightened, and the freedom of action of Hezbollah and Iranian elements has been reduced. The organization’s centers of influence in the country have not been dismantled, and the smuggling and entry of weapons, components, and funds have never ceased, but have become more complex and challenging. In Syria, the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 changed the operating environment. Syrian territory still enables smuggling through local routes, tunnels, vehicles, and criminal and tribal networks, but it is no longer a land corridor that effectively constitutes a “weapons-smuggling highway" controlled by a friendly regime, the Quds Force, and Hezbollah. We continuously monitor, through open-source material, smuggling attempts from Syria to Lebanon following the fall of the Assad regime. It can be stated explicitly that the joint Iranian-Hezbollah effort continues at all times, including attempts to find creative methods (see the attempt to smuggle weapons using a fuel truck on July 16 at the al-Tanf border crossing). However, at the same time, it can also be noted that there has been an increase in the number of reports concerning seizures and disruptions. We witness smuggling attempts every week. We know what has been seized, but we do not know what has not been seized. Syria continues to serve as a logistical area for transferring weapons to Lebanon, even under the current government and alongside its efforts to thwart this activity. In our understanding, for Iran and Hezbollah, the smuggling routes through Syria remain a significant component of the ability to preserve and restore the organization’s military arrays. Iran itself is required to operate under new operational conditions. The Quds Force continues to view Hezbollah as its principal asset in the Lebanese arena. The “Lebanon Corps" is involved in decisions concerning procurement, force buildup, and Hezbollah’s force structure. Nevertheless, in view of the foregoing, Iran’s ability to transfer weapons, knowledge, and experts to Lebanon has been impaired as a result of changing regional conditions and Israeli interdiction efforts. Conversely, Israel retains relative freedom of action, under certain circumstances, to act against the recovery process outside the security zone as well. For example, the strikes carried out on August 15-16, 2026. These strikes followed Hezbollah’s violation of the ceasefire on the Ali al-Taher Ridge; headquarters of the Radwan Unit and the Badr Unit in the villages of Ansar and Deir al-Zahrani were struck, and a battalion commander in Radwan and a senior commander in the Badr Unit were eliminated. In our assessment, the senior figures eliminated were responsible for recovery activities, with an emphasis on force employment, force buildup, and weapons. Israeli freedom of action is one of the principal obstacles to Hezbollah’s recovery. This freedom of action, the ability to act when storage sites, weapons transfers within Lebanon, smuggling into Lebanon, production infrastructure, or commanders leading force buildup and force development are identified, must be preserved. Hezbollah is capable of recovering, but in our assessment it currently has difficulty rapidly restoring all of its arrays simultaneously. In our assessment, this compels it to prioritize inexpensive, available, and dispersed capabilities over costly and complex strategic arrays. Transition from Broad Plans to Guerrilla Warfare On the eve of October 7, Hezbollah maintained a large-scale operational concept that included three principal components: a fire plan involving thousands of rockets and missiles; a ground invasion by the Radwan Force and additional units into communities and outposts in the Galilee; and a defense array south of the Litani (the “first defensive strip") and north of the Litani (the “second defensive strip"), based on Shiite villages, dense terrain, and underground infrastructure. In its current state, Hezbollah does not appear to possess the practical ability to implement these plans in their original form. This does not mean that the idea of infiltrating Israel or conducting extensive fire has disappeared from its doctrine; rather, in view of the consequences of the damage to its arrays, the organization requires a different operational logic-reducing the scope of the plans and adapting them to the resources and capabilities remaining at its disposal. The firing patterns during Operation “Lion’s Roar" reflected this adaptation. Instead of thousands of launches per day, Hezbollah generally fired dozens of rockets, and at times concentrated an effort of up to several hundred individual projectiles. The objective of the fire was not necessarily to cause strategic destruction, but to preserve continuity of fire, expand the number of Israeli areas “under fire," and demonstrate that the organization continued to operate until the confrontation ended (the narrative of “sumud," steadfastness and the ability to stand firm against the enemy despite losses, destruction, pressure, and a heavy price, without surrendering or abandoning the path). In our assessment, the same operational logic may also guide naval, aerial, and ground force buildup: fewer large and concentrated arrays, and more small, independent, and dispersed capabilities capable of operating even when the chain of command is impaired. Drones as the Core of Force Buildup The drone array is emerging as one of the principal focuses of Hezbollah’s force buildup. This is a capability based in part on readily available civilian components, publicly available knowledge, and experience accumulated in various combat arenas around the world. Hezbollah seeks to turn drones, and FPV drones in particular, into a “success story" and “decisive effort" in the next confrontation. These drones are relatively inexpensive, can be operated at low altitude, and have a low signature. Drones guided by fiber-optic cable do not depend on conventional radio communications and are relatively resistant to jamming and electronic warfare. They can be used to strike forces, vehicles, positions, and specific infrastructure. However, force buildup in this field is not without limitations. Force buildup, that is, the procurement of a drone and components, is not necessarily equivalent to the force employment of an operational array. For example, operation in darkness, without GPS, in mountainous terrain, and by means of fiber-optic cable requires skill, training, and experience. In view of the designation of the drone array as a principal focus of force buildup and as a “decisive effort" we assess that the pace of training operators in Hezbollah is increasing; however, considering the challenges in locating and training operators, the increase will be moderate. Drones are expected to become a principal component of the threat, but not an unlimited capability. In parallel with the substantial knowledge accumulating in relation to drone force buildup and employment, considerable knowledge is also accumulating in the development of detection, interception, and jamming measures. The emerging pattern of confrontation in the drone context is clear: Hezbollah will concentrate its effort on force buildup (procurement and training) and force employment (it began to employ drones on a significant scale during " Lion’s Roar " and also during the ceasefire, while violating it), while Israel, for its part, will concentrate its effort on striking operators, instructors, warehouses, assembly workshops, and the drone array’s supply chains, which could significantly

The border area of southern Lebanon is witnessing a notable tactical escalation, with the Israeli occupation army intensifying its air raids and ground operations around Tal Al-Tahir. This sensitive region lies at the outskirts of Nabatieh al-Fawqa and has recently become a hotspot for violent clashes and persistent infiltration attempts. The occupation army claimed in a statement that it intercepted two drones launched by Hezbollah toward military gatherings around the hill. These developments come amid Israeli security assessments indicating a siege of dozens of Hezbollah fighters inside the area due to ongoing military operations. Tal Al-Tahir gains exceptional geographic and military significance, rising about 600 meters above sea level and located roughly 15 kilometers from the border. This elevation provides the controlling party with broad visual and fire oversight of southeastern Lebanon. The hill serves as a strategic link connecting border villages with the Jabal al-Tafa region, historically known as a logistical and operational base for Hezbollah. Therefore, the occupation is determined to cut this vital artery and dismantle the military infrastructure there. Field reports indicate that the occupation is concentrating its efforts to seize what it describes as a complex network of underground facilities and tunnels. Israeli sources claim these tunnels house Hezbollah command and control centers and massive arsenals of weapons and ammunition. Historically, the hill’s name has been associated with a Shiite religious leader whose shrine sits atop it; it was under Israeli occupation for 22 years before withdrawing in 2000. Today, history repeats itself as the occupation seeks to impose a new field reality by penetrating deep into Lebanese territory. In the context of ground operations, Israeli forces managed to seize the historic Qalat al-Shqif, situated on the road leading directly to the hill. This on-ground advance aims to tighten the noose on fighters entrenched in the surrounding highlands near Nabatieh city. The Israeli army had previously included Tal Al-Tahir on the map of the “exclusion zone” it unilaterally announced earlier. The area has effectively become a tense front line separating advancing forces to the south from the steadfast Lebanese towns to the north. Sources reported that Hezbollah uses the hill as a launchpad for short-range missiles and drones toward settlements in northern Palestine. This intensified military activity is what led the occupation to designate the hill as a main target on its field priority list. In terms of human losses, Israeli media admitted the killing of a soldier and injuries to 13 others during an earlier attempt to seize a facility beneath the hill. These figures reflect the fierce resistance shown by Hezbollah fighters in defending this strategic point. Hezbollah, in official statements, affirmed that its fighters still fully control the area and its surroundings. The party stressed its readiness to confront any new ground advances, rejecting Israeli claims of having decided the battle at that point. Political calculations in Israel strongly influence the field scene, especially with the October elections approaching. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government seeks a tangible military achievement in Hezbollah’s strongholds to present it as a “great victory” to the Israeli public. Military analysts suggest Israel might opt for a long siege rather than a direct and costly ground assault. The aim of this tactic is to exhaust fighters entrenched underground and avoid large number of Israeli soldier casualties before the electoral deadline. Conversely, predictions vary on Hezbollah’s possible reaction if it senses the hill’s fall is imminent. While some believe the group may widen the firing circle to prevent the site’s fall, others think regional calculations could impose a different tempo for the conflict.

FOCUS Ali Taher: Israel turns against the US-backed compromise Nabih Berri enters the scene once again, positioning himself as mediator and guarantor. L'OLJ / By Mounir RABIH, 20 August 2026 10:49 Lire cet article en français !Ali Taher: Israel turns against the US-backed compromise A photograph taken from the Nabatieh region, in southern Lebanon, shows smoke rising from the site of Israeli strikes that targeted, on August 14, 2026, the mountainous heights of the strategic Ali Taher hill. AFP Has Israel changed its position regarding Ali Taher? Previously, the Israelis had mentioned the possibility of abandoning a large-scale military operation aimed at taking control of this strategic hill, on the condition that the Lebanese Army enter the area, take control of it, and dismantle the Hezbollah military infrastructure there. The Lebanese Army then made its entry conditional on an agreement with the Hezbollah. But that agreement never materialized, with the group noting that the area in question is north of the Litani River and reiterating its refusal to hand over any site or weapon north of the river. For Hezbollah, in fact, its commitments are limited to south of the Litani. Israel therefore insisted on continuing its military operation.A negotiation channel was then opened between U.S. and Lebanese officials in an attempt... You have reached your article limit Stay informed this summer. Subscribe for $0.5/month for 3 months. Subscribe now Log in This article is only available to L’Orient Today subscribers. Subscribe now Log in Already have an account? Login here Comments (0) Comment On the same topic ali taher nabatieh israeli army israeli occupation south lebanon benjamin netanyahu donald trump iran hezbollah disarmament nabih berry joseph aoun israel-lebanon negotiations News 17:46 OCCUPIED WEST BANK Israelis return to last West Bank settlement closed in 2005 17:38 ISRAELI OCCUPATION London, Paris, Rome, Berlin demand Israel end West Bank settlement expansion All news You should read… DIPLOMACY Vatican 'concerned' over challenges in implementing framework agreement between Lebanon, Israel L'Orient Today staff ANALYSIS How Hezbollah views the evolution of the Ali Taher battle Scarlett HADDAD SOUTH LEBANON Salam says support for border villages is a 'national priority,' as Israeli attacks continue L'Orient Today staff DIPLOMACY Aoun asks Leo XIV to back Lebanon’s calls for end to Israeli attacks and withdrawal from the south L'Orient Today staff TRADE From Masnaa, land exports of Lebanese products to Saudi Arabia resume L'Orient Today staff FOCUS Bassil opens new battle against Salam government Yara ABI AKL Stay informed this summer. 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By supporting us, you will allow us to continue to fulfill our mission and provide you with continuous, independent, quality information. Support us [](https://today.lorientlejour.com/) Politics Ali Taher: Israel turns against the US-backed compromise Comments (0) [](https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1545120/ali-taher-israel-turns-against-the-american-compromise.html) You need an account to be able to comment Already have an account? Log in Don’t have an account? Create an account Before commenting... Dear readers, to help ensure that your comments are approved without issue by L'Orient Today’s moderators, we invite you to review our moderation charter. Read the charter It's up to you, Back to top Stay informed this summer. Subscribe for $0.5/month for 3 months. Subscribe Already have an account? 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The Israeli army has established nine bases on Lebanese territory; authorities in that country report more than 5,000 violations of the ceasefire agreement signed in June. Israel currently controls about 5% of Lebanon’s territory in its southern strip and is advancing in the construction of permanent military infrastructure, according to a team of journalists who visited the area last month together with a humanitarian mission from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Entire villages have been razed, crops lie abandoned, and demolitions continue despite the high-level ceasefire announced in June. The prolonged occupation threatens to become a fait accompli that blocks the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced Lebanese and worsens tensions with the Beirut government, which regards it as a flagrant violation of the agreement that ended the most recent conflict, which began in March after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the armed forces during a visit to the occupied zone to "take all necessary measures to prepare for a long-term presence." According to UNIFIL, Israel has established four new bases in the territories it invaded, bringing the total number of positions to nine. The organization’s spokesperson, Kandice Ardiel, confirmed "the consolidation and fortification of Israeli positions, the construction of protection infrastructure and other engineering works," as well as demolition activities in support of military operations. Israeli officials argue that the so-called "security zone" is meant to protect northern Israeli communities from Hezbollah rockets and drones. In response to questions sent, the Israeli army specified that the buildings destroyed were used by the militia for military purposes and that it acts in accordance with international law; it did not answer additional questions about its actions in the occupied territories. Human rights organizations warn that the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure could constitute a war crime. An Israeli intelligence official said that, since the signing of the preliminary agreement between the United States and Iran in June —which included a ceasefire in Lebanon— the Lebanese army has recorded more than 5,000 violations attributed to Israel, including airstrikes, bombings, and incursions by Israeli soldiers beyond the Blue Line, the internationally recognized border. Israel maintains five positions that already existed after the 2024 war in violation of the agreement that ended that conflict, and now adds four more without any diplomatic mechanism having managed to reverse the advance. The categories appear in the portal’s sections menu and as options when creating notes. Default categories cannot be deleted. Here are the approved self- and F1 notes of the week, ready to assemble your magazine: copy the text of each one and download the photo. You provide the design in your tool. https://larevista.com.mx/api.php?action=cronBoletinSecciones&token=TU_TOKEN_INTERNO Self-measurement 100% own. These numbers do NOT come from Google or anyone else: they are counted by your own server and stored in your database. They are yours and only you see them. Page views vs. visitors (the key to understanding them): What is NOT counted (so the number is real): Periods: "Today" = since 00:00 Yucatán time (Mérida). "7 days" and "30 days" = the sum of all that period. Most viewed notes: real views registered on the server (not in each user’s browser) and only of published notes. Where they come from: the site that brought the reader (Google, Facebook…). "Direct" = typed the address or entered from a link without reference (for example WhatsApp). Where we are visited from: country and approximate state. The connection address (IP) is used only briefly to calculate the country/state and is then discarded: it is never stored in the database. The record only keeps the count by country/state, summed once per visitor per day. Privacy: no IP or personal data is stored. The identifier that distinguishes each visitor is irreversible (you cannot revert to the IP) and changes every day, so you cannot be tracked from one day to the next. Why sometimes numbers look low? If you’ve just uploaded this version, the measurement starts from zero (old test data does not count). And now that your team is excluded, you’ll see only real readers: the number may drop a bit, but at last it is trustworthy.

Ali el-Taher, the next decisive battle of the war in Lebanon: the report from Figaro's special envoy REPORT • The intensification of Israeli strikes on this strategic hill overlooking Nabatieh raises fears of negotiations failing and a resumption of fighting. About a dozen figures draped in black advance across the debris floor where a Hezbollah flag has been planted. Their shoulders, wrapped in a scarf bearing the colors of the Shiite organization, are bowed toward the ground in a sign of homage. Five days earlier, four people were killed and 17 injured in Deir Zarhani when an Israeli strike pulverized a residential building, without warning. It was a bit before noon. The Israeli state claimed to have targeted a Hezbollah cadre from the Badr force. Behind the counter of his gym located a few hundred meters from the target site, Mohammed* erupts: “This does not justify striking a residential area in the middle of a ceasefire. Netanyahu said that Israeli soldiers had been attacked by the Resistance (Hezbollah, ed.) in Ali el-Taher, so they wanted to take revenge.” The 41-year-old man breaks off to advise three clients who are inspecting protein boxes on a shelf where a portrait sits…

Au sud du Liban, une hauteur située aux abords de Nabatiyé concentre désormais une part inhabituelle de l’attention militaire et diplomatique. Ali al-Taher se trouve sur l’axe de la progression israélienne venue du secteur de Taybeh et Deir Siryan, face à une zone que le Hezbollah entend conserver. Mais l’enjeu dépasse la seule maîtrise d’une colline. Ce 19 août 2026, sa valeur tient autant à sa position sur le terrain qu’à ce qu’elle pourrait représenter dans les négociations : un objectif militaire susceptible de devenir, s’il changeait de mains, une nouvelle pièce dans le rapport de force avec Beyrouth. Pendant des semaines, les noms de villages, de vallées et de hauteurs du sud du Liban se sont succédé au rythme des opérations militaires. Ali al-Taher s’en détache désormais. La colline revient dans les informations sur les mouvements israéliens, dans les déclarations du Hezbollah et dans les scénarios entourant les négociations. Cette concentration n’est pas fortuite. Elle traduit le déplacement progressif de la confrontation vers un espace situé au contact de plusieurs secteurs sensibles : Zawtar al-Charqiyah, Zawtar al-Gharbiyah, le château de Beaufort, Nabatiyé et les approches d’Iqlim al-Tuffah. Il faut cependant éviter une lecture trop simple. Contrôler Ali al-Taher ne signifie pas contrôler le sud du Liban. La colline ne constitue pas, à elle seule, une position capable de décider de l’issue d’un conflit. Sa valeur provient plutôt de la combinaison de trois éléments : sa géographie, les infrastructures militaires que différentes sources situent dans son secteur et sa place croissante dans le bras de fer politique. C’est précisément cette superposition qui explique pourquoi une position relativement circonscrite est devenue un dossier national. Ali al-Taher au bout d’un axe de progression israélien Pour comprendre l’importance du site, il faut regarder la carte plutôt que son seul sommet. Selon la description publiée par Al Akhbar le 19 août, la pression israélienne s’inscrit dans une progression commencée plus au sud et à l’est, depuis les secteurs de Taybeh et Deir Siryan, sur les abords du Litani. Elle se prolonge vers Zawtar al-Charqiyah et Zawtar al-Gharbiyah, avant d’atteindre l’espace dominé par le château de Beaufort et les hauteurs proches de Nabatiyé. Cet axe avait déjà été identifié au cours des mois précédents. Des informations concordantes décrivaient une progression depuis Taybeh et Deir Siryan vers Zawtar al-Charqiyah, puis vers Yahmar, Arnoun et le secteur du château de Beaufort. Ali al-Taher apparaît ainsi moins comme un objectif isolé que comme l’un des points d’aboutissement d’un mouvement engagé depuis le Litani. Cette géographie explique une partie de sa valeur militaire. La hauteur domine un espace qui ouvre vers Nabatiyé et, au-delà, vers Iqlim al-Tuffah. Elle se trouve aussi dans un environnement de collines, de bois et de vallées qui complique les opérations terrestres. Plusieurs informations publiées depuis juin attribuent au Hezbollah des installations souterraines dans le secteur. Des sources israéliennes les présentent comme un ensemble de tunnels et de positions liés à l’unité Badr. Ces affirmations doivent néanmoins être distinguées des faits directement observables. L’existence d’une bataille prolongée autour de la zone et les bombardements sont documentés. La nature exacte, l’étendue et l’état des infrastructures souterraines décrites par Israël sont, en revanche, beaucoup plus difficiles à vérifier indépendamment. Cette distinction est essentielle. La valeur militaire réelle d’Ali al-Taher tient à son relief, à son emplacement et à sa connexion avec le dispositif environnant. La présentation de la colline comme un centre décisif du système militaire du Hezbollah relève aussi d’une appréciation israélienne qui accompagne les opérations. Un verrou militaire, mais pas une position qui décide de tout L’importance d’une hauteur sur une carte peut facilement être exagérée. Une position dominante améliore l’observation, protège certains mouvements et complique ceux de l’adversaire. Mais son occupation n’entraîne pas mécaniquement l’effondrement des positions situées derrière elle. Ali al-Taher doit donc être replacée dans un ensemble plus vaste. Sa prise modifierait les conditions locales de la confrontation autour de Nabatiyé et des approches d’Iqlim al-Tuffah. Elle permettrait aussi à Israël de réduire ou de neutraliser, au moins localement, une zone que ses responsables militaires considèrent comme liée à l’appareil opérationnel du Hezbollah. Elle ne signifierait toutefois ni la disparition de l’unité Badr ni la neutralisation de l’ensemble du dispositif militaire du mouvement au sud. C’est justement parce que le résultat militaire resterait limité que la dimension politique prend une importance particulière. Selon Al Joumhouriyat du 19 août, deux options seraient envisagées du côté israélien. La première consisterait à obtenir indirectement ce qu’une offensive devrait produire directement : exercer une pression sur Beyrouth afin qu’une solution concernant Ali al-Taher soit imposée sans bataille majeure. La seconde passerait par une progression graduelle sur le terrain. Les deux méthodes poursuivent un objectif similaire mais n’ont pas le même coût. Une offensive frontale contre une position préparée pourrait provoquer des pertes, déclencher une riposte importante du Hezbollah et élargir une confrontation qu’Israël chercherait précisément à maintenir sous contrôle. Une pression politique transférerait, au contraire, une partie du problème vers l’État libanais. Le Hezbollah fait d’Ali al-Taher une ligne à ne pas céder Face à cette pression, le Hezbollah cherche à retirer toute ambiguïté sur ses intentions. Hassan Ezzeddine a affirmé, selon Al Bina’ le 19 août, que le mouvement ne renoncerait pas à Ali al-Taher et répondrait à toute attaque contre la position. La portée de cette déclaration dépasse la défense d’un emplacement militaire. Après plusieurs mois de combats et de modifications du rapport de force territorial dans le sud, accepter l’abandon d’une position sous pression israélienne créerait un précédent politique. Le Hezbollah présenterait difficilement une telle évolution comme une simple réorganisation tactique dès lors que le site est publiquement désigné comme un objectif par Israël. Ali al-Taher acquiert ainsi une valeur que sa topographie ne suffit plus à mesurer. Plus Israël insiste sur sa prise, plus le coût politique d’un retrait augmente pour le Hezbollah. Et plus le Hezbollah annonce publiquement qu’il la défendra, plus Israël peut présenter sa neutralisation comme un résultat significatif. La colline devient alors un enjeu symbolique construit par la confrontation elle-même. Israël face au risque d’une victoire trop coûteuse Cette mécanique explique aussi la prudence israélienne rapportée depuis plusieurs semaines. L’objectif serait d’obtenir un résultat tangible sans provoquer immédiatement une guerre générale. Or Ali al-Taher pose exactement ce dilemme. Une opération limitée peut rester limitée tant que l’adversaire choisit de ne pas répondre au-delà d’un certain seuil. Rien ne garantit cependant que ce calcul survive à une bataille prolongée, à des pertes importantes ou à la destruction d’une position que le Hezbollah a publiquement promis de défendre. Les précédents combats autour du secteur montrent d’ailleurs que la question ne date pas du 19 août. Au début du mois, l’armée israélienne avait annoncé avoir visé des combattants du Hezbollah dans les hauteurs d’Ali al-Taher et reconnu qu’un officier avait été blessé. Des bombardements et des survols avaient également été signalés autour de la colline. Les discussions de Rome avaient déjà été rattrapées par le dossier, Israël plaçant la question des tunnels et de la présence du Hezbollah dans la zone parmi ses demandes. L’enjeu du 19 août réside donc moins dans la découverte soudaine d’Ali al-Taher que dans la convergence de dynamiques jusque-là parallèles. L’action militaire, la pression sur Beyrouth et la négociation commencent à porter sur le même lieu. Ali al-Taher, de cible militaire à monnaie d’échange ? C’est ici que se trouve probablement la question la plus importante pour le lendemain d’une éventuelle bataille. Que ferait Israël d’Ali al-Taher s’il parvenait à en prendre complètement le contrôle ? Selon l’hypothèse avancée par Al Akhbar, la conquête pourrait créer un nouvel élément de négociation. Un territoire pris par la force ne serait alors pas seulement conservé pour sa valeur tactique. Il pourrait devenir une monnaie d’échange lors de discussions ultérieures. Ce scénario change la lecture de l’opération. Dans une logique strictement militaire, la question serait de savoir si la prise de la colline améliore suffisamment la position israélienne pour justifier son coût. Dans une logique politico-militaire, le calcul est différent : même une position dont la valeur tactique est limitée peut acquérir une forte valeur si sa restitution devient négociable. Pour Beyrouth, cette perspective comporte un risque évident. Chaque nouvelle position occupée ajoute un dossier territorial aux négociations et peut modifier leur point de départ. Au lieu de discuter uniquement des modalités d’un retrait israélien de zones déjà occupées, le Liban pourrait devoir négocier sur de nouveaux faits accomplis créés pendant que les discussions se poursuivent. C’est également ce qui donne à la progression graduelle évoquée par la presse une dimension politique. Quelques centaines de mètres gagnés sur le terrain peuvent peser davantage à une table de négociation que leur superficie ne le laisserait penser. Trois calendriers se croisent désormais sur la colline Ali al-Taher se trouve ainsi au croisement de trois calendriers qui n’avancent pas à la même vitesse. Le premier est militaire. Israël cherche à réduire les positions du Hezbollah dans le sud et à améliorer son propre dispositif sans déclencher une confrontation incontrôlable. Le Hezbollah veut empêcher qu’une progression graduelle ne transforme, étape après étape, la géographie militaire du secteur. Le deuxième calendrier est celui des négociations de Rome. Le sort des zones occupées, les conditions de retrait, les mécanismes de sécurité et le rôle de l’armée libanaise s’y mêlent directement aux évolutions du terrain. Ali al-Taher montre précisément combien il devient difficile de séparer la carte militaire de la carte diplomatique. Le troisième est régional. Les décisions prises dans le sud du Liban dépendent aussi d’un rapport de force plus large, dans lequel interviennent les États-Unis, Israël, l’Iran et les équilibres qui entourent le Hezbollah. Une opération locale peut donc être accélérée, retardée ou suspendue pour des raisons qui dépassent largement Nabatiyé. Au 19 août 2026, rien ne permet d’affirmer que la bataille d’Ali al-Taher conduira nécessairement à une guerre générale. Rien ne permet non plus de considérer la colline comme une simple position parmi d’autres. Sa singularité tient précisément à cette ambiguïté : assez importante militairement pour être disputée, assez symbolique pour rendre une concession difficile et désormais assez politique pour entrer dans les calculs de négociation. Les prochains mouvements autour de Zawtar, du château de Beaufort et d’Ali al-Taher indiqueront si la ligne de front continue de progresser vers la colline ou si la diplomatie parvient, une nouvelle fois, à suspendre la décision militaire.

Ali al-Taher devient le point de cristallisation de la crise au Sud Le Sud libanais domine les premières pages de la presse du 21 août 2026. La question ne se limite plus aux frappes israéliennes quotidiennes. Elle porte désormais sur le risque d’une confrontation autour d’Ali al-Taher, sur les conditions du retrait israélien et sur l’avenir du dispositif international dans la région. Annahar, le 21 août 2026, place ainsi la « bataille d’Ali al-Taher » au cœur de son édition. Le quotidien décrit une situation où les efforts diplomatiques tentent de devancer une possible aggravation militaire. Selon des sources françaises citées par Annahar, les États-Unis exercent actuellement une pression sur le gouvernement israélien afin d’empêcher un élargissement de la confrontation avec le Hezbollah. Cependant, ces mêmes sources considèrent Ali al-Taher comme un point particulièrement dangereux. Elles estiment que son évolution pourrait être liée au rapport de force régional entre Washington et Téhéran. Une détente entre les deux capitales pourrait réduire la pression. Une aggravation de leur confrontation pourrait, au contraire, augmenter les risques pour le Liban. Le journal reste toutefois prudent et ne présente pas une nouvelle guerre comme certaine. Sur le terrain, la situation demeure tendue. Al Joumhouriyat, le 21 août 2026, rapporte que les bombardements et les opérations israéliennes se poursuivent dans plusieurs secteurs du Sud. Le journal accorde une place particulière à Ali al-Taher et cite une source importante du Hezbollah. Celle-ci affirme que le mouvement n’envisage pas de remettre le site à l’armée libanaise, à Israël ou à une autre partie. L’argument avancé dépasse la valeur militaire du lieu. Selon cette position, une remise du site sous pression israélienne créerait un précédent. Elle pourrait conduire Israël à réclamer ensuite l’évacuation d’autres positions. La localisation d’Ali al-Taher au nord du Litani est également invoquée. Le Hezbollah considère que les dispositions territoriales liées à la résolution 1701 concernent avant tout le sud du fleuve. Annahar, le 21 août 2026, rapporte une lecture comparable du dossier. Le journal explique que le mouvement ne veut pas créer une mécanique dans laquelle Israël désignerait un emplacement à évacuer, avant que l’armée libanaise ne vienne l’occuper à sa place. La question porte donc sur la souveraineté autant que sur le contrôle militaire. Dans le même temps, les informations disponibles ne permettent pas de déterminer précisément le nombre de combattants présents dans le secteur ni la nature exacte des installations. La presse fait état de structures et de fortifications, mais plusieurs éléments restent invérifiables. Cette prudence est importante. Le dossier est marqué par des informations contradictoires et par une forte bataille de communication. Al Liwa’, le 21 août 2026, constate de son côté que les négociations restent la principale option des autorités libanaises. Le quotidien estime cependant que la poursuite des opérations israéliennes rend le processus plus difficile. Beyrouth demande un retrait israélien et la cessation des attaques. La question du désarmement du Hezbollah demeure, parallèlement, au centre des exigences adressées au Liban. Le risque est donc celui d’un blocage. Israël conditionne certaines évolutions sécuritaires à des mesures libanaises. Le Liban réclame de son côté le retrait et l’arrêt des opérations comme éléments indispensables à toute stabilisation. Ali al-Taher concentre ainsi un désaccord qui dépasse largement la seule maîtrise d’un relief du Sud. Joseph Aoun mobilise le Vatican et l’Italie autour du retrait israélien L’activité diplomatique du président Joseph Aoun constitue le deuxième thème dominant des unes. Plusieurs journaux suivent sa visite au Vatican et ses démarches en Italie. Al Sharq, le 21 août 2026, rapporte que le président a demandé au pape Léon XIV et aux responsables du Saint-Siège de poursuivre leurs efforts diplomatiques en faveur du Liban. Joseph Aoun réclame notamment l’application des dispositions de l’accord-cadre, l’arrêt des attaques israéliennes et un retrait complet des territoires libanais occupés. Il relie également ces demandes au retour des déplacés et à la reconstruction des régions touchées. Cependant, son discours comprend aussi un engagement concernant l’autorité de l’État. Selon Al Sharq, le 21 août 2026, Joseph Aoun affirme que le retrait israélien et la reconstruction doivent aller de pair avec l’extension de l’autorité de l’État sur l’ensemble du territoire. Il insiste également sur la concentration de la décision de guerre et de paix entre les mains des institutions. Al Joumhouriyat, le 21 août 2026, rapporte la même position. Le président demande une intervention diplomatique du Vatican afin d’obtenir le respect des engagements pris. Le Saint-Siège exprime, pour sa part, son inquiétude devant les difficultés rencontrées dans l’application de l’accord-cadre. Il réaffirme son soutien aux efforts destinés à permettre sa mise en œuvre. La démarche présidentielle ne se limite toutefois pas au Vatican. Ad Diyar, le 21 août 2026, indique que les rencontres en Italie sont liées à la recherche d’une solution pour la période qui suivra la fin de la mission de la FINUL. Le dossier comporte donc deux dimensions. La première est immédiate : empêcher une nouvelle escalade et obtenir le retrait israélien. La seconde concerne l’architecture sécuritaire qui devra accompagner le déploiement de l’armée libanaise. Al Akhbar, le 21 août 2026, affirme que Joseph Aoun et Nawaf Salam travaillent sur un projet de coopération avec l’Union européenne. Celui-ci pourrait permettre l’arrivée d’une force européenne dans le Sud après la FINUL. Le journal attribue un rôle important à l’Italie dans les discussions. Il souligne également que la France souhaite préserver une présence dans le dispositif futur. Al Akhbar adopte cependant une lecture critique des rapports entre Paris, Washington et Israël. Le journal considère que la France tente de retrouver une place dans un dossier où son influence s’est réduite. Il faut donc distinguer cette analyse des informations factuelles concernant les consultations diplomatiques en cours. Annahar, le 21 août 2026, rapporte pour sa part une coordination franco-italienne autour de l’avenir de la présence internationale. Le quotidien indique aussi que la France prépare une réunion destinée à soutenir l’armée libanaise, avec la participation annoncée de plusieurs pays. Cette mobilisation montre que la question du Sud ne se résume plus au face-à-face entre le Liban et Israël. Elle implique le Vatican, l’Italie, la France, les États-Unis et plusieurs partenaires de l’armée. Joseph Aoun tente ainsi de placer le retrait israélien, l’autorité de l’État et la présence internationale dans un même cadre politique. La fin de la FINUL fait apparaître le risque d’un vide sécuritaire La fin programmée de la mission de la FINUL constitue un autre sujet majeur du 21 août 2026. Plusieurs publications insistent sur les conséquences possibles de son départ. Al Sharq, le 21 août 2026, rapporte que la FINUL a commencé à remettre certains de ses sites à l’armée libanaise. Une position située près de Khardali, dans le secteur du Litani, a ainsi été transférée au septième régiment de l’armée. Cette opération s’inscrit dans un processus préparatoire à la fin de la mission internationale prévue à la fin de l’année. La transmission des positions donne une dimension concrète à un débat jusque-là essentiellement diplomatique. Le Liban doit désormais déterminer comment l’armée pourra assumer des responsabilités supplémentaires. Il doit également savoir quelle présence extérieure pourrait l’accompagner. Le président du Parlement Nabih Berri exprime une forte inquiétude. Selon Al Sharq, le 21 août 2026, il considère la fin de la mission comme une décision très grave pour le Sud. Il insiste sur le rôle de la FINUL dans l’application de la résolution 1701 et dans l’accompagnement de l’armée libanaise. Al Joumhouriyat, le 21 août 2026, rapporte également les appels de la force internationale au respect de cette résolution. La FINUL demande aux différentes parties d’éviter les actes susceptibles d’accroître les tensions. Elle souligne que les civils supportent une grande partie des conséquences de l’instabilité actuelle. Dans le même temps, le gouvernement tente de renforcer la présence civile de l’État. Al Bina’, le 21 août 2026, rapporte que Nawaf Salam a présidé une réunion consacrée au retour et au redressement de plusieurs villages du Sud. Les discussions ont concerné notamment Froun, Qallawiyah, Srifa, Borj Qallawiyah, Zawtar al-Gharbiyah et Ghandouriyah. Le Premier ministre demande d’accélérer l’acquisition de logements préfabriqués et la réparation des habitations qui ne sont pas entièrement détruites. Il souhaite également que les aides au logement soient coordonnées avec le ministère des Affaires sociales. Cette dimension est essentielle pour comprendre la situation. Le débat sur la sécurité du Sud ne concerne pas seulement les positions militaires. Il touche directement la possibilité pour les habitants de revenir dans leurs villages et d’y rester. Le gouvernement doit simultanément restaurer les logements, garantir les services et renforcer la présence des institutions. Al Sharq Al Awsat, le 21 août 2026, apporte un autre élément. Selon le quotidien, Washington travaille à la sélection de localités qui pourraient entrer dans l’extension des « zones expérimentales » au Sud. Le mécanisme envisagé serait associé à un retrait israélien et à un dispositif de vérification du déploiement de l’armée. Ces informations montrent que plusieurs formules sont actuellement étudiées. Cependant, aucune des publications du corpus ne permet d’affirmer qu’un dispositif définitif a été accepté. La seule certitude est que la transition a commencé alors même que la situation militaire reste instable. La confrontation entre Washington et Téhéran augmente la pression sur le Liban La crise du Sud se déroule enfin dans un contexte régional marqué par une nouvelle aggravation de la confrontation entre les États-Unis et l’Iran. Al Arabi Al Jadid, le 21 août 2026, consacre sa une à l’annonce par Donald Trump d’une offensive économique d’une ampleur exceptionnelle contre Téhéran. Le président américain menace également de conséquences économiques les pays, entreprises et institutions qui continueraient à fournir un soutien essentiel à l’Iran. Le secrétaire américain au Trésor Scott Bessent affirme que les sanctions doivent être parmi les plus sévères jamais imposées. Il évoque explicitement leur capacité à provoquer l’effondrement du pouvoir iranien. Le ministre iranien des Affaires étrangères Abbas Araghchi répond en dénonçant ce qu’il qualifie de terrorisme économique. Il estime que les mesures américaines menacent aussi la souveraineté des États et l’économie mondiale. Al Quds Al Arabi, le 21 août 2026, développe largement le même affrontement. Le quotidien rapporte que Téhéran se prépare à une confrontation prolongée tout en maintenant la possibilité d’un dialogue. Les responsables iraniens affirment que les sanctions et la pression militaire ne conduiront pas à une capitulation. Al Sharq Al Awsat, le 21 août 2026, indique de son côté que les autorités iraniennes reconnaissent les difficultés qui affectent les exportations pétrolières. Washington cherche parallèlement à fermer davantage les voies financières et commerciales disponibles pour Téhéran. Cette confrontation a des répercussions directes sur le Liban. Annahar, le 21 août 2026, rapporte que certaines sources françaises établissent un lien entre l’évolution de la confrontation américano-iranienne et le niveau de risque autour d’Ali al-Taher. Le Liban devient ainsi l’un des terrains susceptibles de subir les effets d’un rapport de force régional qu’il ne contrôle pas. Parallèlement, les tensions entre Israël et la Turquie en Syrie ajoutent une autre source d’instabilité. Al Quds Al Arabi, le 21 août 2026, rapporte la réaction d’Ankara après le bombardement israélien de la base d’Abu al-Duhur. La Turquie affirme vouloir continuer à soutenir la Syrie tout en évitant une confrontation directe avec Israël. Al Joumhouriyat, le 21 août 2026, analyse également ce dossier comme un prolongement de la volonté israélienne d’empêcher l’apparition de nouvelles capacités militaires à proximité de ses frontières. Pour le Liban, cette accumulation de crises augmente l’importance de l’action diplomatique. Le Sud se trouve ainsi au croisement de la confrontation israélo-libanaise, du conflit entre Washington et Téhéran et des nouvelles tensions israélo-turques en Syrie. Au 21 août 2026, la presse ne décrit pas une guerre générale déjà décidée. Elle montre plutôt plusieurs crises qui se rapprochent. Ali al-Taher, le départ de la FINUL et les démarches de Joseph Aoun en constituent les manifestations les plus immédiates pour le Liban. Politique locale : le Sud place l’État face au double défi de la souveraineté et du monopole des armes Joseph Aoun lie retrait israélien et autorité de l’État La situation au Liban-Sud structure une grande partie de l’actualité politique intérieure du 21 août 2026. Les positions de Joseph Aoun, de Nawaf Salam, de Nabih Berri et du Hezbollah montrent cependant des différences importantes sur les moyens de sortir de la crise. Le débat porte à la fois sur le retrait israélien, Ali al-Taher, les armes du Hezbollah, l’avenir de la FINUL et le retour de l’État dans les régions touchées. Al Sharq, le 21 août 2026, rapporte que Joseph Aoun a profité de ses rencontres au Vatican pour exposer la ligne de la présidence. Il demande l’arrêt des attaques israéliennes et le retrait complet des territoires libanais occupés. Il réclame également l’application de l’accord-cadre conclu sous médiation américaine le 26 juin. Le président ne dissocie toutefois pas ces demandes de la question de l’autorité publique. Selon Al Sharq, il affirme que le retrait israélien, la reconstruction et le retour des déplacés doivent aller de pair avec l’extension de l’autorité de l’État à l’ensemble du territoire. Il ajoute que la décision de guerre et de paix doit relever de l’État. Al Joumhouriyat, le 21 août 2026, reprend cette articulation. Le journal présente la position présidentielle autour de deux exigences parallèles : obtenir le retrait israélien et progresser vers le monopole étatique des armes. Pour Joseph Aoun, la stabilisation de la frontière suppose donc des engagements israéliens, mais également une évolution de la situation intérieure libanaise. Cette ligne intervient alors que les pressions autour du désarmement du Hezbollah se renforcent. Al Liwa’, le 21 août 2026, rapporte les propos attribués à l’ambassadeur américain Michel Issa après une rencontre avec Nabih Berri. Interrogé sur la fin de la guerre au Sud, le diplomate a lié celle-ci à la remise des armes du Hezbollah. Le journal estime que cette position traduit la priorité accordée par Washington au désarmement. Cependant, Al Liwa’ souligne aussi la difficulté politique que cette séquence crée pour l’État. Une exigence de désarmement sans retrait israélien parallèle pourrait, selon l’analyse du quotidien, fournir au Hezbollah un argument pour maintenir ses armes. Le gouvernement doit ainsi évoluer entre les exigences américaines, les demandes israéliennes, la poursuite de l’occupation et les équilibres politiques internes. Cette tension traverse désormais l’ensemble du débat. Une partie des forces politiques estime que l’État ne pourra exercer pleinement sa souveraineté tant que les armes restent en dehors de son contrôle. Le Hezbollah répond que le retrait israélien et la fin des attaques constituent des conditions centrales avant toute transformation majeure du dispositif de défense. Ali al-Taher oppose la logique de l’État à la crainte d’un précédent Le dossier d’Ali al-Taher donne une traduction concrète à cette confrontation politique. Al Joumhouriyat, le 21 août 2026, cite une source importante du Hezbollah affirmant que le mouvement n’est pas disposé à remettre les hauteurs à l’armée libanaise, à Israël ou à une autre partie. Cette position place directement la question du contrôle territorial au centre du débat intérieur. Selon la source citée par le journal, le Hezbollah craint qu’une remise du site sous pression israélienne ne crée un précédent. Israël pourrait ensuite demander l’évacuation d’autres

Beirut – The Israeli army announced today, Thursday, that it had achieved what it described as “operational control” over land and air in the Ali Talhair Heights area in southern Lebanon, announcing the completion of what it called an “underground infrastructure cleansing” that it says belongs to Hezbollah. The strategic hill located in Nabatieh Governorate in southern Lebanon has recently seen intensified field activity amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes and military operations. In a statement, the Israeli army said that the 36th Division forces have recently worked to “purge two underground routes” in the Ali Talhair heights area, which Israel calls the “security zone.” It added that its forces killed a number of Hezbollah members, while others fled the area, noting that efforts to destroy the underground infrastructure that was “cleansed” are still ongoing. It explained that its forces would redeploy defensively “according to the situational assessment” after the military activity ends, adding that Hezbollah members who were inside those facilities used them to carry out attacks against Israel and its forces. It added that the operations carried out by the army in recent weeks “neutralized the ability to carry out plots” from those facilities. The Israeli army said it found inside the tunnels command rooms and weapons storage, generators, as well as rooms for staying, bathing facilities, and a kitchen, considering that these provisions enabled Hezbollah members to manage operations and remain inside the facilities for extended periods. The army confirmed that it will continue its operations in what it calls the “security zone” in southern Lebanon, warning of facing any Hezbollah activities against its forces. Lebanon and Israel signed in Washington, on June 26 of last year, a framework agreement under American sponsorship that includes a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, in tandem with the deployment of the Lebanese army, while subsequent rounds focused on mechanisms to implement the agreement and complete the withdrawal. Last Saturday, the Hebrew newspaper Maariv reported, quoting an Israeli security source, that Israel does not intend to withdraw from the Ali Talhair Heights area despite American pressure to continue the withdrawal, a stance that runs counter to the Washington-brokered negotiating track. Israel maintains a military presence in areas of southern Lebanon, some of which dates back decades, while it expanded its forces’ footprint inside Lebanese territory during the 2023-2024 Lebanon war.

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Joseph Aoun: Israel continues to violate the framework agreement with its attacks on southern Lebanon Following the army leadership's statement denying Israeli claims about its role in the experimental area in southern Lebanon, the president, Joseph Aoun, offered an additional show of support by adopting yesterday his leadership's viewpoint, noting that the army is fully performing its duty in the model areas, while Israel continues its violation of the agreement with Lebanon by destroying villages and leveling homes. He pointed out that all that is said about the army aims to harm its reputation and cast doubt on its commitment to the decisions of the political authority. Published in: This support boost for the army comes as Israel continues daily attacks on the south through destruction, shelling, and razing, and it has become certain that the first experimental area north of the Litani River has entered a vicious circle. While the army has moved inside the first experimental area and set up checkpoints at the entrance of Zotar al-Gharbi and in its neighborhoods, Israel continues to shell its occupied neighboring area of Zotar al-Sharqiya, hindering the completion of the first experimental area with the aim of moving to a second experimental area that has effectively been deemed canceled on the grounds that the army is not doing what it is supposed to, and it is not stripping Hezbollah of its weapons, but rather siding with it, according to Israeli claims.

Published Sep 3, 2026 7:00 am : Updated Sep 3, 2026 2:19 pm Iran fired at Kuwait on Thursday as part of its retaliation for U.S. bombardments earlier in the week. Meanwhile, Israeli police said they arrested a settler allegedly involved in an attack on Palestinians last week. Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East. Full coverage can be found here. Iran fires at Kuwait Sirens sounded in Kuwait early on Thursday, where air defenses intercepted missiles and drones during a “blatant Iranian aggression,” the Defense Ministry said in a post on X. It came after U.S. allies Bahrain and Jordan said their air defense systems also intercepted several Iranian air attacks Wednesday. Fighting between the U.S. and Iran has increased this week after the U.S. hit Iranian rocket launchers on an island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. Vance says US is investigating reported airstrike that hit Iranian wedding U.S. Vice President JD Vance said he was briefed on the reported attack at a wedding on Tuesday that Iranian state media said killed five people and injured dozens of others. Vance said “we’re investigating it very fully.” Vance said the U.S. never targets civilians in combat but added that “sometimes things happen.” “We’re investigating it because obviously we care, we want to know,” Vance said. “When our military makes mistakes, they learn from them to try to get better from them.” U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins previously said the U.S. military was looking into the reports. Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral Thursday of four victims of the airstrike, Iranian state TV reported. Mourners carried caskets wrapped in the Iranian flag as families, relatives, soldiers and others accompanied the coffins in the streets of the port town of Kuhestak, located about 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) southeast of Iran’s capital Tehran. Iranian state TV said on Thursday that a person injured in the attack had died, increasing the death toll to five. Israeli attacks kill three Palestinians in Gaza, hospital officials say Israeli attacks killed three Palestinians, including a 15-year-old child, in northern Gaza and Gaza City on Thursday, according to officials at the Shifa hospital, where the casualties were taken. The Israeli military said that it “identified two terrorists who crossed the Yellow Line and approached the troops in a manner that posed an immediate threat.” However, officials at the Shifa hospital said the two Palestinians were killed in a “safe area” west of the so-called yellow line, which delineates the part of the Gaza Strip that the Israeli military controls. Another strike later in the day killed one Palestinian in Gaza City and critically wounded two others, the hospital added. Israeli military says it has control of strategic area in Lebanon Israel’s military said on Thursday it had taken “operational control” of the strategic Ali Taher ridge area in southern Lebanon, the site of sporadic clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants in recent weeks. It’s where Hezbollah is believed to have an extensive underground military facility. The military said troops had cleared Hezbollah fighters from two underground routes, killing some while others fled. It said operations were ongoing. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah. The Ali Taher hill overlooks several villages as well as main roads leading to the city of Nabatiyeh. Losing control of it would disrupt Hezbollah’s presence and supply lines in the area. Strait of Hormuz traffic remains below pre-war levels Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains well below pre-war levels due to the risk of Iranian attack if ships do not comply with an Iranian vetting regime. The decline is in sharp contrast to the unhindered navigation before the war. Last week there were 102 transits, compared with 126 the week before, according to shipping data company Lloyd’s List Intelligence. That compares with 130 or more per day before the war. Significant amounts of oil, however, continue to flow through the strait due to a shuttle trade in which tanker operators risk going through a southern route near the coast of Oman under the guidance of U.S. forces. Israeli police make rare arrest of settler over attack on Palestinians Authorities in Israel arrested an Israeli settler for his suspected role in an attack on a Palestinian home in the occupied West Bank, according to a police statement Thursday. The statement did not identify the suspect but said he was being held for questioning and that police would request to extend his detention. The 19-year-old man is believed to have participated in a violent riot in the Palestinian village of Qusra on Saturday, in which settlers threw stones and barricaded themselves inside the home of one of the villagers. Lebanese man held prisoner in Israel released A Lebanese man who had been held prisoner in Israel was released Thursday, the first such handover since the outbreak of the latest Israel-Hezbollah war six months ago, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Lebanese officials said. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that Israel had agreed to release five Lebanese civilians detained by Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. They were detained after Lebanon provided assistance in searching for the bodies of Lebanese Jewish leaders. Funeral for 2 Palestinian teens killed by Israeli forces Mourners attended the funeral on Thursday of two Palestinians, aged 16 and 19, who were killed by Israeli forces the night before in the occupied West Bank. Israeli troops fired on them while accompanying settlers into the village of Al-Mughayyir. Amin Abu Aliya, a local official, told the Palestinian news agency Wafa that settlers and Israeli soldiers entered the village, attacked two homes and stole sheep. Israel releases plan to encourage emigration from Gaza An Israeli official on Thursday released a plan designed to encourage emigration from Gaza. The proposal sets targets of 250,000 people leaving in the first year, 1.1 million within three years and nearly 1.9 million within seven years. Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Israel would pay countries willing to receive emigrants. Palestinians in Gaza have rejected the proposal and dismiss Israeli claims that any large-scale departures would be voluntary. Rights groups have said forcing or pressuring the Palestinians to leave could be a potential war crime. By The Associated Press This post was last modified on 09/03/2026 2:19 pm

Johnny Maniar wrote in al-Jumhuriyya: Around the Al-Tahir hill, Israeli military preparations simulate an upcoming military operation. The Israeli discussion about readiness for consecutive fighting days means that Israel is indeed studying a war scenario, not a single quick strike. The Israeli government has progressed in this direction in an escalating manner, but without setting a zero hour, and there could be several reasons for that. The first reason is that there are still about 70 days left until the election boxes open, a relatively long period to invest any on-the-ground data and sway voters. The second reason relates to a full understanding with Washington, given that the American administration has become agreeable to an Israeli military operation targeting the Al-Tahir hill specifically—i.e., a defined and limited operation that does not lead to a breakdown of the situation. Consequently, it has become clear that Israel is planning a limited battle through “combat days,” supported by Washington. And as stated above, the Israeli military operation toward the Al-Tahir hill has received the green light, even though determining the zero hour remains subject to calculation. Yet the attack remains the expected response to this operation, and then the matter will be open to all possibilities, based on calculations that relate not only to the Lebanese reality but also extend to the regional scene as a whole. Ibrahim Haidar wrote in al-Nahar: Israel refuses to participate in the eighth Rome round, conditioned on handing over the Al-Tahir hill to the Lebanese army and the disarmament of Hezbollah, while Iran moves to be the deciding party in the two tracks, with successive hints from its officials that the southern front and Al-Tahir are directly tied to its calculations. Things appear to be heading toward escalation as negotiations on the Lebanese track stall. Al-Tahir’s importance today lies not in its area or its frontiers as a commanding hill, but in something greater within the regional conflict in which Hezbollah operates under its Iranian authority. Israel seeks to strike the party in the south and pressure Lebanon, so regional developments may precede all arrangements being worked on to launch Rome round, turning the south into a site of Iranian-Israeli confrontation larger than Lebanon. Hezbollah recalls all methods of propaganda and fabrication against the state and ignores the losses, disasters, and the occupation of 650 square kilometers of the south. Thus the question arises whether the party itself decides its own affairs or if its entire structure is managed from Iran and specifically the IRGC. If Hezbollah decides to wage the Al-Tahir battle against Israel, it fights in Iran’s name to leverage its confrontation with America and Israel. Does Hezbollah recognize the danger to its environment and to Lebanon, and take the initiative to treat the state as a reference in facing Israel’s insistence on widening its war and seizing more territory, and using what it calls its military achievements to impose additional condiciones on Lebanon. Johnny Maniar wrote in al-Jumhuriya: Around the Al-Tahir hill, Israeli military preparations simulate an upcoming military operation. The Israeli talk about readiness for consecutive fighting days means that Israel is indeed studying a war scenario, not a single and quick strike, and the Israeli government has varied in this direction in an escalating manner but without fixing a zero hour, and there may be several reasons: 1) there are still about 70 days until the polls open, a relatively long time to invest any field data and attract voters. 2) It relates to full understanding with Washington, as the US administration has become willing to support an Israeli military operation that targets the Al-Tahir hill specifically, i.e., a defined and limited operation that does not lead to a breakdown of the situation. Moreover, it has become clear that Israel plans a limited battle through “combat days,” with Washington’s support. According to what has been stated, the Israeli military operation toward the Al-Tahir hill has received the required green light, even though the zero hour is still subject to calculation. But the assault remains the anticipated reaction to this operation, and then the matter will be open to all possibilities based on calculations that relate not only to the Lebanese reality but also extend to the regional scene as a whole. Ibrahim Haidar wrote in al-Nahar: Israel refuses to participate in the eighth Rome round, conditioned on handing over the Al-Tahir hill to the Lebanese army and disarming Hezbollah, while Iran moves to be the party decided in the two tracks, with repeated hints from its officials that the southern front and Al-Tahir are directly tied to its calculations. Things seem to be heading toward escalation with negotiations on the Lebanese track blocked. The importance of Al-Tahir today lies not in its area or its geographical borders as a projecting hill, but greater than that within the regional clash that Hezbollah is part of under its Iranian leadership, while Israel seeks to strike the party in the south and pressure Lebanon, so regional developments might precede all arrangements being made to launch Rome round, turning the south into a battleground of Iranian-Israeli confrontation larger than Lebanon. Hezbollah recalls all propaganda methods and fabrications against the state, and ignores the losses and disasters and the occupation of 650 square kilometers in the south, making the question whether the party itself decides its affairs or whether its entire structure is run from Iran and specifically the IRGC. If Hezbollah decides to wage the Al-Tahir battle against Israel, it fights under Iran’s banner to use its confrontation with the United States and Israel. Does Hezbollah realize the danger to its environment and to Lebanon, and take the initiative to treat the state as a reference in opposing Israel’s insistence on widening its war and seizing more lands, and using what it calls its military achievements to impose additional conditions on Lebanon. All rights reserved for the Arab Window site © 2016-2023. Type your search term and press Enter. Home. Lebanon. World. Economy. Technology. Celebrities. Health and Society. Facebook. Twitter. Instagram. YouTube. Lebanon Chat. Short Links. About Us. Privacy Policy. Comment Policy. DMCA. Contact Us.

Hezbollah doesn't intend to cede Ali al-Taher but open to 'compromise' Amid conflicting reports about the situation in the Ali al-Taher area, which continues to come under Israeli airstrikes, a prominent Hezbollah source confirmed that the group "has no intention of surrendering the Ali al-Taher hill to the Lebanese Army, the enemy, or any other party.” “Such a surrender carries significant risks, the most important being that it would embolden the enemy to seize other positions at any cost. Furthermore, this area lies north of the Litani River, and the exclusive right to bear arms is governed by U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which addresses only the area south of the Litani," the source told al-Joumhouria newspaper in remarks published Friday. The source added: "Ultimately, the enemy could take the hill, but only through a battle, because the culture of surrender and capitulation is not part of the resistance's culture. Moreover, our young men are not expected to commit suicide. Therefore, the matter could be subject to a compromise, the terms of which Lebanon has set, beginning with the most crucial point: a cessation of hostilities and withdrawal."

Qmati says Hezbollah open to talks with US, studying 'all options' as to Ali al-Taher Hezbollah Political Council member Mahmoud Qmati announced overnight that the Iran-backed party is not completely closing the door to direct communication with Washington, and that the decision will be made based on interest and the appropriate circumstances. "The resistance has decided to be patient and give the existing political process a chance, with the aim of achieving complete liberation and the withdrawal of the occupation from Lebanese territory," Qmati said in an interview on al-Manar television. He emphasized that "the resistance remains strong and capable, and not responding to every attack does not signify weakness or incapacity," stressing that "any Israeli attempt to advance and occupy new territories or positions will be met with a response from the resistance commensurate with the nature of the developments on the ground." Regarding the issue of the strategic Ali al-Taher heights, he affirmed that "the resistance's current decision is to stand firm and confront the situation, while studying all options related to the location," categorically denying "the presence of any Iranian fighters within the ranks of the resistance in southern Lebanon." Qmati considered that "linking the liberation of Lebanese territory to the issue of the resistance's weapons constitutes a dangerous path that infringes upon sovereignty and Lebanon's rights," emphasizing that "sanctions and the financial blockade will not push Hezbollah to retreat from the resistance project or abandon it."

Israel says Hezbollah 'continuing to use force in security zone' An Israeli military source on Monday criticized the Lebanese Army’s performance in the so-called pilot zones in south Lebanon, noting that “it has not entered private property” there and that its search operations are “partial.” “The Lebanese Army has operational control over the pilot zones without fully cleansing them” of Hezbollah’s presence, the source claimed, in remarks to Al-Arabiya’s Al-Hadath channel. The source added that the Ali al-Taher and Shaqif heights constitute a strategic area for the Israeli army, noting that the Israeli army is “committed to implementing the framework agreement and maintaining the ceasefire with Lebanon.” “A return to normal life is only possible through Lebanon's effective implementation of the framework agreement,” the source went on to say. “The Lebanese Army is responsible for clearing the pilot areas of any terrorist presence or infrastructure” and “Hezbollah is undermining the implementation of the framework agreement with Lebanon,” the source charged, accusing Hezbollah of “violating the ceasefire and continuing to use force within the security zone in southern Lebanon.” “The framework agreement is necessary to prevent Iran from making decisions on behalf of the Lebanese state,” the Israeli source said. “The framework agreement with Lebanon charts a path toward peace and stability through the disarmament of Hezbollah,” the source added.

Israel says Hezbollah 'continuing to use force in security zone' An Israeli military source on Monday criticized the Lebanese Army’s performance in the so-called pilot zones in south Lebanon, noting that “it has not entered private property” there and that its search operations are “partial.” “The Lebanese Army has operational control over the pilot zones without fully cleansing them” of Hezbollah’s presence, the source claimed, in remarks to Al-Arabiya’s Al-Hadath channel. The source added that the Ali al-Taher and Shaqif heights constitute a strategic area for the Israeli army, noting that the Israeli army is “committed to implementing the framework agreement and maintaining the ceasefire with Lebanon.” “A return to normal life is only possible through Lebanon's effective implementation of the framework agreement,” the source went on to say. “The Lebanese Army is responsible for clearing the pilot areas of any terrorist presence or infrastructure” and “Hezbollah is undermining the implementation of the framework agreement with Lebanon,” the source charged, accusing Hezbollah of “violating the ceasefire and continuing to use force within the security zone in southern Lebanon.” “The framework agreement is necessary to prevent Iran from making decisions on behalf of the Lebanese state,” the Israeli source said. “The framework agreement with Lebanon charts a path toward peace and stability through the disarmament of Hezbollah,” the source added.

Mobile version Sign Up Login Home Lebanon Middle East World Business Sports Climate Change & Environment Entertainment Offbeat Culture Science Obituaries Technology Health Entrepreneurship Roundup En ع Israel claims taking 'operational control' of Ali al-Taher by Naharnet Newsdesk 27 minutes ago Comment 0 [](https://www.naharnet.com/stories/322255-israel-claims-taking-operational-control-of-ali-al-taher/print) !W460 Israel's military said on Thursday it had taken “operational control” of the strategic Ali Taher ridge area in southern Lebanon, the site of sporadic clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants in recent weeks. It's where Hezbollah is believed to have an extensive underground military facility. The military said troops had cleared Hezbollah fighters from two underground routes, killing some while others fled. It said operations were ongoing. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah. The Ali Taher hill overlooks several villages as well as main roads leading to the city of Nabatiyeh. Losing control of it would disrupt Hezbollah’s presence and supply lines in the area. SourceAssociated Press Lebanon Comments 0 Popular Most Read Most Commented Lebanon Report: Issa asks Netanyahu to hand over the Ali al-Taher hill 11 hours ago Lebanon Central bank says new audit to scrutinize transactions for graft 13 hours ago Lebanon Report: Hezbollah gathering intel, preparing for renewed fighting 11 hours ago Business China urges France to 'halt' fast-fashion law, warns of countermeasures 12 hours ago Middle East With his eye on reelection, Netanyahu turns his focus to his divided base 13 hours ago Lebanon Salam thanks US, says Lebanon to seek release of all captives 8 hours ago Lebanon Report: Iran warns US against Israeli attack on Ali al-Taher 9 hours ago Lebanon Report: Hezbollah gathering intel, preparing for renewed fighting 11 hours ago Climate Change & Environment Belgium logs nearly 3,000 excess deaths during heatwaves 10 hours ago Lebanon Israel claims taking 'operational control' of Ali al-Taher 27 minutes ago Comments Top Rated Latest !Missing Peter pity the death penalty is no longer. prime candidates. 18 hours ago chrisrushlau "Details, shmetails," Trump told the press. 22 hours ago !Missing Peter Live by the sword die by the sword.....then again for these people death is t... 18 hours ago !Missing Peter Delusional. Clearly the bomb fumes the US is showering iran with are taking t... 18 hours ago !Missing Peter that's because the iranian regime are all angels....the Middle East was curse... 18 hours ago phillipo The Hizballah terrorists were ordered by LAF to evacuate Ali al Taher Ridge. ... 15 hours ago phillipo It's about time that the two sides upgraded the levels of their representativ... 15 hours ago !Missing Peter pity the death penalty is no longer. prime candidates. 18 hours ago !Missing Peter that's because the iranian regime are all angels....the Middle East was curse... 18 hours ago !Missing Peter Delusional. Clearly the bomb fumes the US is showering iran with are taking t... 18 hours ago Naharnet © 2026 Privacy Policy Terms of service Contact us Advertising About Login !Close Login using your Naharnet account Sign up, please. Forgot your password? Didn't receive confirmation instructions? [27 minutes ago]: 03 September 2026, 19:52 GMT+0000 [11 hours ago]: 03 September 2026, 09:30 GMT+0000 [13 hours ago]: 03 September 2026, 07:26 GMT+0000 [12 hours ago]: 03 September 2026, 07:52 GMT+0000 [8 hours ago]: 03 September 2026, 12:27 GMT+0000 [9 hours ago]: 03 September 2026, 11:49 GMT+0000 [10 hours ago]: 03 September 2026, 09:53 GMT+0000 [18 hours ago]: 03 September 2026, 02:06 GMT+0000 [22 hours ago]: 02 September 2026, 21:55 GMT+0000 [15 hours ago]: 03 September 2026, 04:51 GMT+0000

BEIRUT, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Iran has warned the United States that it would respond forcefully to an Israeli offensive on a mountainous ridge in southern Lebanon where Iranian military personnel are holed up alongside Hezbollah fighters, three officials briefed on the message told Reuters. The message, delivered last month, highlights Iran's continued direct involvement in the ground fighting in southern Lebanon and its readiness to retaliate against Israeli attacks there as the regional war enters its seventh month. Sign up here. Hezbollah is believed to have built an underground command center and weapons stores within the Ali al-Taher ridge, which has a commanding view of southeastern Lebanon, according to Lebanese security sources, and has become one of the most contested pieces of ground in the Israel-Hezbollah war. Hezbollah has said in public statements that it controls the hill and will confront any Israeli advances. Its officials have referred to a "facility" there, but have declined to provide details. The Israeli military has occupied swathes of territory to Ali al-Taher's south and has identified the ridge as one of its "primary operational focuses" in public statements. In its message to Washington, Tehran threatened that any full-fledged Israeli offensive on the ridge would be met with a large-scale Iranian attack, said the three officials in the region, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity. Hezbollah declined to comment on whether Iranian forces were present in Ali al-Taher. In response to Reuters questions about the message, or whether the U.S. had put pressure on Israel not to attack Ali al-Taher, a White House official said, "this is not accurate." There was no immediate comment from Iran's permanent mission in Geneva, the U.S. Defense Department, or Oman's foreign ministry. The Israeli military declined to comment. IRGC FORCES HOLED UP, OFFICIALS SAY Two of the officials said the message was delivered via Oman, which has played a mediating role. Those two regional officials, briefed by Tehran, said over a dozen members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, including at least two senior officers, were with Hezbollah fighters. The third source, a foreign official with direct knowledge of the message, said it was delivered around mid-August and that as a result of U.S. pressure, Israel had put off storming Ali al-Taher. Contacted by Reuters, Hezbollah's media office neither confirmed nor denied Iran's message but said it was a "natural conclusion" that such a warning would have been sent about the ridge. "Iran considers any Israeli move on the ground in southern Lebanon, especially territorial expansion, a major violation of the Islamabad Agreement," Hezbollah's media office said, referring to the June U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding that included a Lebanon ceasefire. Iran fired missiles towards Israel in early June in retaliation for attacks on Hezbollah on the Lebanese capital's outskirts. ISRAEL SEEKS TO BESIEGE HEZBOLLAH FIGHTERS Despite a ceasefire announced in June, the Israeli military has said Hezbollah is still operating around the ridge and twice over the last week launched explosive drones towards Israeli troops near the ridge. In July, it said it had launched an air strike on a Hezbollah fighter near an access shaft to the underground site at Ali al-Taher and vowed not to allow Hezbollah to operate in the area or pose a threat to Israeli soldiers. An Israeli military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters in June that Hezbollah fighters were stuck underground without food or water. Israeli newspaper Maariv, citing a military source, said on Thursday that the Israeli military assessed there were no IRGC forces in Ali al-Taher and that some Hezbollah fighters had died without food and water. The third official said Israel's military was trying to smoke out Hezbollah and IRGC personnel by besieging them, shooting down attempted drone deliveries of food and water to the ridge. "What we have seen over the past month is Israeli pressure to besiege Ali al-Taher in order to impose a reality within this facility that renders it uninhabitable. This approach, and the absence of a large-scale attack, means that it is possible a message was conveyed through several countries -- this is a natural conclusion," Hezbollah's media office told Reuters. HEZBOLLAH THREATENS RETALIATION A Lebanese source briefed by Hezbollah said the group's fighters can still access their positions through the ridge's northern side. Reuters could not independently confirm the military situation at Ali al-Taher, which Israel's military has included in a self-declared security zone occupied by its troops and off-limits to Lebanese. Despite Iran's warning, the Lebanese source and a senior Lebanese security official said an Israeli military operation to capture the ridge was still possible in the coming weeks. Hezbollah said any large-scale attack on Ali al-Taher would mean a return to full-blown war, and could see missiles landing on northern Israeli communities. Reporting by Maya Gebeily; Additional reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin in Geneva and Emily Rose in Jerusalem, Editing by Alexandra Hudson Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Special – Safir al-Shamal At a time when the prisoner file seemed to open a narrow window for de-escalation, Al-Tilla Ali al-Taher (Hill of Ali al-Taher) asserted itself as a field and political headline capable of escalation, amid continued Israeli bombardment and the failure of efforts to find an exit from the region. While the release of prisoners carried indicators of success in international and regional contacts, the hill remained outside any agreement, amid concerns it could become a pressure card in calculations beyond Lebanon’s borders. Sources from politics in "Safir al-Shamal" saw the release of prisoners as the fruit of ongoing efforts and negotiations, notably those conducted in Rome, where an agreement was reached on these steps, though the negotiations were later suspended. The sources noted that the surprise visit of the American ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Aissi, to Tel Aviv and his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu constituted a key station in this path, explaining that Aissi did not travel to Israel merely as the ambassador to Lebanon, but as a envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump and authorized to follow up on the Lebanese file. The sources considered that the meeting between Aissi and Netanyahu had the greatest impact on the prisoner releases, as their release came immediately after the visit, reflecting, in their assessment, a political decision to activate the path previously discussed during the contacts and negotiations. Regarding the Hill of Ali al-Taher, the sources confirmed that the hill remains, according to available data, outside the framework of any settlement, although the file of the hill was discussed before Aissi’s visit to Tel Aviv, during the Rome meetings and before them, in addition to internal Lebanese Army discussions, with ongoing communication at the level of the presidency, as well as the role played by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. The sources pointed out that Hezbollah refused to hand the hill over to the Lebanese Army, and thus there are no indications of its withdrawal, while Israel continues daily bombardment of the area, stressing that no settlement has been reached to date. According to the sources, Israeli bombardment continues not only due to the field reality but also due to political complexities that prevent final understandings from being fixed. Thus the hill, in their reading, has become part of a broader negotiating path, in which Lebanese, Israeli, and American considerations intersect, without yet producing a clear formula that guarantees stopping the escalation or fixing new arrangements on the ground. In the regional context, sources revealed what they described as a “continuous line of shifts” extending from Lebanon to Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Yemen, deeming that the region is going through a period of major and rapid transformations, and that developments on each arena now affect the others. The sources believed that the Iran–U.S. war, despite its limited scope, could make Ali al-Taher Hill a kind of “mailbox” for Iran, while Israel could use it as a political card, and it could also enter U.S. regional calculations, especially as various parties seek to employ field files in their political and strategic battles. The sources added that the possibility of Israel giving the green light for movement remains, particularly ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, which hold political significance for President Donald Trump, making the Hill file open to multiple possibilities in the upcoming phase. The sources concluded by stressing that releasing the prisoners, while important, does not mean the de-escalation path is settled; the Hill of Ali al-Taher remaining outside any settlement leaves the door open for escalation and reciprocal messages. Between successful prisoner-channel negotiations and stalemates in the Hill file, the upcoming phase appears to face a real test of mediators’ ability to separate the paths or fuse them into a broader understandings, before the hill shifts from a field dispute to an regional escalation headline, and before any on-ground step becomes a spark that rearranges the pieces in more than one arena. Since yesterday when the Israeli enemy announced its intention to release five civilian prisoners, three... The file of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) entered a new phase... Public land ownership issues remain one of the most sensitive real estate matters in Lebanon... Safir al-Shamal publishes a summary of the most important events that occurred on Thursday, 3/9/2026... September has begun, while no date has yet been set for the eighth round of negotiations...

The Israeli army said on Thursday that it achieved what it described as “operational control” over Tal Al-Taher in southern Lebanon, after weeks of operations targeting underground infrastructure it says belongs to Hezbollah. In a statement, the army explained that forces from the 36th Armored Division conducted sweeps on two underground routes and disrupted them in what it calls the “security zone,” noting the assertion of control over the elevated area both above and below ground. It said its forces cleared the area of militants, with some killed during the operations while others fled, without disclosing numbers or identities. It added that the process of disabling underground sites is ongoing and that it will readjust its defensive posture upon completion, according to the assessment of the situation. According to the statement, militants used the underground infrastructure to carry out attacks against Israel and its forces, while the army said its operations disrupted their ability to launch attacks from within those routes. It noted that the sites include command centers, weapon storage depots, rooms for generators, as well as living facilities, a kitchen, and bathrooms, enabling fighters to manage operations and remain underground for extended periods. The Israeli army accused Iran of funding and planning the network for two decades. It affirmed that it will continue its operations in what it calls the “security zone” in southern Lebanon, warning that any attempt to target its forces will be met with a response, while reaffirming its commitment to the ceasefire.

Editor Published bySyed Nasim Manzurfor International Publications Limited from Tropicana Tower (4th floor), 45, Topkhana Road, GPO Box : 2526 Dhaka- 1000 and printed by him from The Transcraft Limited, 229, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208 editor@thefinancialexpress.com.bd [email protected] [email protected] Phone:+8801323723397 Email:[email protected] PABX : 02223389780 (Hunting) | Mobile: 01917231083 | Fax : 880-2-02223387049 ©2026- All Rights with The Financial Express About UsContact UsTerms of ServicePrivacy Policy REUTERS Published: Sep 03, 2026, 05:47 Updated: Sep 03, 2026, 05:48 Share this news REUTERS Published: Sep 03, 2026, 05:47 Updated: Sep 03, 2026, 05:48 The Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, which is named after a Shia Muslim scholar whose shrine sits at its summit, has become one of the most contested pieces of ground in the Israel-Hezbollah war. The cluster of hills is not especially large. But what it overlooks in southern Lebanon — and what Hezbollah is suspected to have built beneath it — thrust it to the centre of the fight between Israel and the Iran-backed group. Where Is It? Located about 15 km (10 miles) from the Israeli border, the Ali al-Taher ridge has a commanding view of a broad sweep of southeastern Lebanon. Israel held it during a 22-year occupation of south Lebanon that ended in 2000. After the current war erupted on Mar 2, Israeli troops pushed deep into southern Lebanon and seized key hilltops, including the historic Beaufort Castle on the route to Ali al-Taher. In June, Israel's military described the ridge as one of its "primary operational focuses," and included it in a map of an expanded, self-declared buffer zone where its troops are operating. The ridge has effectively become a dividing point between a swathe of Lebanese territory occupied by Israeli troops to the south, and towns to the north that Israel's air force has bombed heavily, including Nabatieh. Why Is It Strategic? Hezbollah is believed to have built an underground command centre and weapons stores within the ridge itself, Lebanese security sources told Reuters in July. At 600 metres above sea level, it granted Hezbollah an advantage in launching short-range missiles and drones towards northern Israel, according to analysts. Ali al-Taher also connects border areas in southern Lebanon to the hilly Iqlim al-Tuffah region further north, which has long served as a key logistical and operational base for Hezbollah, the Lebanese security sources said. The Israeli air force has struck the ridge heavily in recent months. In June, an Israeli military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters that Hezbollah fighters were stuck underground without food or water. The Times of Israel, citing a military probe, said on Jun 20 that one Israeli soldier was killed and 13 wounded during operations to capture a major underground Hezbollah facility beneath the ridge. Hezbollah has said that Israel has sought to advance but that its fighters still had "full control over the area and are at complete readiness to confront any attempt by the enemy forces to advance or infiltrate." In July, the Israeli military said it would "not allow Hezbollah terrorists to emerge from the underground terrorist infrastructure and operate in the area or pose a threat" to Israeli soldiers. What Is The Political Significance? Ali al-Taher lies near Zawtar Al Gharbiyeh, a town from which Israeli troops withdrew in July as part of a US-brokered roadmap that would see Israeli troops gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon as Lebanese troops disarm Hezbollah. But with Hezbollah refusing to give up its weapons — and Israel saying it won't withdraw until the group disarms — that plan has ground to a halt. As Israeli elections planned for October draw closer, capturing Ali al-Taher could be an attractive prize for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. "Before the elections, Israel needs a big win in an area that has always been seen as a Hezbollah stronghold," said Andrea Tenenti, a strategic communications expert and former spokesperson for the UN force in Lebanon, UNIFIL. Still, it may prefer a slow siege to avoid Israeli troop casualties, said Hassan Jouni, a Lebanese analyst and retired army general. "Israel is hesitant to storm Ali al-Taher for fear of casualties, especially at this sensitive moment before elections," Jouni told Reuters. The deadlock in Lebanon mirrors the wider West Asia standoff — negotiations between the United States and Iran remain stalled, with no breakthrough in sight. REUTERS Published: Sep 03, 2026, 05:47 Updated: Sep 03, 2026, 05:48 Share this news

Editor Published bySyed Nasim Manzurfor International Publications Limited from Tropicana Tower (4th floor), 45, Topkhana Road, GPO Box : 2526 Dhaka- 1000 and printed by him from The Transcraft Limited, 229, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208 editor@thefinancialexpress.com.bd [email protected] [email protected] Phone:+8801323723397 Email:[email protected] PABX : 02223389780 (Hunting) | Mobile: 01917231083 | Fax : 880-2-02223387049 ©2026- All Rights with The Financial Express About UsContact UsTerms of ServicePrivacy Policy REUTERS Published: Sep 03, 2026, 05:47 Updated: Sep 03, 2026, 05:48 Share this news REUTERS Published: Sep 03, 2026, 05:47 Updated: Sep 03, 2026, 05:48 The Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, which is named after a Shia Muslim scholar whose shrine sits at its summit, has become one of the most contested pieces of ground in the Israel-Hezbollah war. The cluster of hills is not especially large. But what it overlooks in southern Lebanon — and what Hezbollah is suspected to have built beneath it — thrust it to the centre of the fight between Israel and the Iran-backed group. Where Is It? Located about 15 km (10 miles) from the Israeli border, the Ali al-Taher ridge has a commanding view of a broad sweep of southeastern Lebanon. Israel held it during a 22-year occupation of south Lebanon that ended in 2000. After the current war erupted on Mar 2, Israeli troops pushed deep into southern Lebanon and seized key hilltops, including the historic Beaufort Castle on the route to Ali al-Taher. In June, Israel's military described the ridge as one of its "primary operational focuses," and included it in a map of an expanded, self-declared buffer zone where its troops are operating. The ridge has effectively become a dividing point between a swathe of Lebanese territory occupied by Israeli troops to the south, and towns to the north that Israel's air force has bombed heavily, including Nabatieh. Why Is It Strategic? Hezbollah is believed to have built an underground command centre and weapons stores within the ridge itself, Lebanese security sources told Reuters in July. At 600 metres above sea level, it granted Hezbollah an advantage in launching short-range missiles and drones towards northern Israel, according to analysts. Ali al-Taher also connects border areas in southern Lebanon to the hilly Iqlim al-Tuffah region further north, which has long served as a key logistical and operational base for Hezbollah, the Lebanese security sources said. The Israeli air force has struck the ridge heavily in recent months. In June, an Israeli military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters that Hezbollah fighters were stuck underground without food or water. The Times of Israel, citing a military probe, said on Jun 20 that one Israeli soldier was killed and 13 wounded during operations to capture a major underground Hezbollah facility beneath the ridge. Hezbollah has said that Israel has sought to advance but that its fighters still had "full control over the area and are at complete readiness to confront any attempt by the enemy forces to advance or infiltrate." In July, the Israeli military said it would "not allow Hezbollah terrorists to emerge from the underground terrorist infrastructure and operate in the area or pose a threat" to Israeli soldiers. What Is The Political Significance? Ali al-Taher lies near Zawtar Al Gharbiyeh, a town from which Israeli troops withdrew in July as part of a US-brokered roadmap that would see Israeli troops gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon as Lebanese troops disarm Hezbollah. But with Hezbollah refusing to give up its weapons — and Israel saying it won't withdraw until the group disarms — that plan has ground to a halt. As Israeli elections planned for October draw closer, capturing Ali al-Taher could be an attractive prize for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. "Before the elections, Israel needs a big win in an area that has always been seen as a Hezbollah stronghold," said Andrea Tenenti, a strategic communications expert and former spokesperson for the UN force in Lebanon, UNIFIL. Still, it may prefer a slow siege to avoid Israeli troop casualties, said Hassan Jouni, a Lebanese analyst and retired army general. "Israel is hesitant to storm Ali al-Taher for fear of casualties, especially at this sensitive moment before elections," Jouni told Reuters. The deadlock in Lebanon mirrors the wider West Asia standoff — negotiations between the United States and Iran remain stalled, with no breakthrough in sight. REUTERS Published: Sep 03, 2026, 05:47 Updated: Sep 03, 2026, 05:48 Share this news

Turkey is a “rival and not an enemy” to Israel, security officials said on Sunday, warning that the situation could change amid the ongoing shifts in the Middle East. According to assessments within the security establishment, Turkey seeks to strengthen a Sunni axis that is, among other things, anti-Israel. The officials rejected Syrian and Turkish denials, saying warnings were issued before the strike but ignored by the parties involved. Therefore, under close scrutiny and following recommendations from Israeli intelligence and the Israeli Air Force, including pressure from IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, the decision was made to carry out the strike in order to send a message while clearly avoiding harm to people. Security officials clarified that Israel’s commitment after October 7 is to identify threats and eliminate them at their earliest stages. This commitment is reflected in the context of the Syrian-Turkish process, where the security establishment continues to monitor developments and ensure that it does not change form or attempt to advance through other means. Israel monitoring Lebanon-Syria dynamics Security officials also said that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is known to have deep hatred toward Hezbollah and the Iranians. According to assessments, the day is not far off when he will demand a price and seek revenge from them for the killing of his forces during the Syrian civil war under ousted president Bashar Assad, despite his statements expressing moderation and a desire for peace. Therefore, the officials said that Israel is also monitoring the dynamics between Lebanon and Syria to ensure that certain geographic areas do not become lawless zones that could threaten Israel in the future. Meanwhile, security officials hinted that Turkey is working to reach Israel’s border not only through Syrian territory but also through additional routes, such as the Gaza Strip. The security establishment is monitoring these efforts in order to prevent them. Some of the activity is being carried out through diplomatic channels, with mediation from the US and other allies. Israel-Syria talks halted after strike on military air base Meanwhile, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Sunday morning that following the strike in Syria, talks with Israel had been halted and no date had been set for their renewal. In an interview with Reuters, al-Shaibani said Damascus’ priority is to stop Israeli strikes and that steps are needed to build trust toward that goal. The Syrian foreign minister also said that in the days following Assad’s fall in 2024, “Israel tried to maintain its security through brute force and it did not succeed.” He added that the US is attempting to pressure Israel to return to the dialogue table, saying, “It is very difficult to bet on Israel, but Syria had very high hopes of building stable relations with its neighbors.” Al-Shaibani claimed that at the beginning of the year, the sides had “agreed on paper on almost everything” regarding a security agreement that would include several security zones in Syrian territory near the Israeli border. These included a buffer zone where only the UN would be present, as well as other areas where Syrian forces would be deployed at varying levels of strength. However, he added that “we have not seen that Israel has the genuine desire to reach an agreement.”

The IDF announced on Thursday that it had completed the clearance of two Hezbollah underground infrastructures on the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon and that forces are now working to neutralize them. According to the military, the infrastructures were built over a period of about two decades and were planned and funded by Iran. Forces from the IDF’s 36th Division have operated in the area in recent weeks and, according to the military, achieved operational control of the ridge both above and below ground. During the operation, the area was cleared of Hezbollah operatives who had been stationed there, with some killed and others fleeing. Inside the underground infrastructure, the forces found command rooms, weapons storage rooms, generators, living quarters, showers, and a kitchen. The IDF said the complex allowed Hezbollah operatives to remain underground for extended periods and conduct combat operations from there. According to the military, terrorist attack plans against Israel and IDF forces were carried out from the tunnels. Following operations conducted there in recent weeks, the ability to carry out additional attacks from the sites was neutralized. The forces’ efforts to neutralize the tunnels are ongoing, and once completed, the IDF will redeploy for defensive operations in accordance with its assessment of the situation. The military emphasized that operations in southern Lebanon are continuing and that the IDF remains committed to the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon. IDF's Ali al-Taher operation lasted several months The capture of the Ali al-Taher ridge, with its peak being the Beaufort Castle, was a complex operation that lasted several months. In the first stage, engineering forces mapped the upper section of the ridge and destroyed tunnels, concealed openings, direct-fire positions aimed at Israeli communities and the border, weapons depots, long-term living quarters, command rooms, and operating rooms. The second stage, locating the underground systems, was considered the most complex phase of the maneuver. It included locating the lower sections of the ridge and mapping the underground systems hidden beneath dense vegetation and rocks. Their construction, which required a massive financial investment by Iran and Hezbollah, lasted around 20 years. Some of the underground systems were located and destroyed, as previously reported, while others were only discovered very recently. For weeks, IDF forces engaged in a battle of wits with Hezbollah to cut off the logistical route used to transfer food, water, and ammunition from Beirut to the underground tunnels on the Ali al-Taher ridge. During the intense battle over the tunnel entrances, Hezbollah attacked the forces several times using drones. According to information obtained by Walla, in the past week Hezbollah’s connection with the trapped operatives may have been cut off, and they likely either died of starvation or escaped. Over the past several months, Hezbollah’s leadership attempted to pressure the Iranians to tie the fate of the organization and its various infrastructures to negotiations with the US, but the effort failed. Now, the situation has shifted: Iran is attempting to deter Israel from destroying all of the infrastructure on the ridge, and Iranian operatives are apparently also trapped inside the tunnels. Iran warns US it will respond with large-scale attack Earlier on Thursday, Iran warned the United States that it would respond with a large-scale attack if Israel launched a full operation to capture the ridge, where more than a dozen Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps personnel are entrenched alongside Hezbollah operatives. According to sources briefed on the message, at least two senior IRGC officers are among those present on the ridge. The sources said the warning was conveyed to Washington through Oman, which has served as a mediator between the US and Iran. Until now, Iran has refrained from attacking Israel, raising the question of why Tehran has chosen to issue threats again at this point, and specifically over the Ali al-Taher ridge. It can be assessed that Iran, which until now has avoided fully backing Hezbollah, is attempting to bring the Shi’ite organization closer to its side amid concerns of an impending military confrontation with the US and Israel.

Ali al-Taher Ridge Becomes Key Israel-Hezbollah Battlefield Israeli forces struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon after the Iran-backed armed group launched two explosive drones at troops near Ali al-Taher Ridge, an elevated area that has become a central military objective in the Israel-Hezbollah war. The Israel Defense Forces said the drones were launched overnight toward soldiers operating near the ridge and did not cause casualties. It said it responded with strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in the area. Lebanese state media reported that one person was killed and another wounded in an Israeli strike near Nabatieh. The incident came as fighting remains focused on Ali al-Taher, a cluster of hills about 15 kilometers from the Israeli border. Rising roughly 600 meters above sea level, the ridge overlooks routes connecting southeastern Lebanon with the Iqlim al-Tuffah area, long associated with Hezbollah’s logistical network. Give the gift of hope We practice what we preach: accurate, fearless journalism. But we can't do it alone. - On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more - Our program trained more than 100 journalists - Calling out fake news and reporting real facts - On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more - Our program trained more than 100 journalists - Calling out fake news and reporting real facts Join us. Support The Media Line. Save democracy. Israeli forces seized nearby high ground after the current war began on March 2 and have repeatedly struck the ridge from the air. Lebanese security sources previously told Reuters that Hezbollah had built underground command facilities and weapons stores beneath the area. Israel has said the ridge is a major operational focus and has included it within an expanded buffer zone under Israeli military control. Hezbollah has said its fighters retain control of the area and are prepared to confront further Israeli advances. Israel maintains that the group’s weapons and underground positions pose a continuing threat to its forces and northern communities. The ridge also sits near Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, an area from which Israeli forces withdrew in July under a US-brokered framework intended to link a gradual Israeli pullback with Lebanese army efforts to disarm Hezbollah. That arrangement has stalled. Israel says it will not complete a withdrawal while Hezbollah remains armed, while Hezbollah has rejected disarmament. The impasse has left the ridge as both a tactical objective and a test of whether the wider plan for southern Lebanon can be revived. With Israeli elections scheduled for October, the government faces pressure to show progress against Hezbollah while limiting casualties in difficult terrain. The latest drone attack and Israeli response suggest that the area is likely to remain a focus of fighting.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed a landmark defence agreement last Friday that would treat an attack on one country as an attack on all On Tuesday, August 11th, Lebanon’s parliament passed a vote to abolish the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment with aggravated hard labor. The In a July 28 report on the human rights condition in Afghanistan, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) disclosed it had documented 499 A series of Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon early on August 15 killed at least 11 people. A strike on Ansar killed 7 people and wounded 2 others, while a strike on Deir al-Zahrani killed at least 4 and wounded 17. This is one of the deadliest attacks since the truce between Israel and Hezbollah took effect in mid-June. The Israeli military claimed that its attack in the Ansar area targeted infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah (an Iran-backed militia group). Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained that Hezbollah had attacked Israeli soldiers in Lebanon, so the military struck the group’s headquarters. However, it was only later that the military learned “that Hezbollah deliberately put civilians in that military compound.” Nevertheless, Nawaf Salam, Lebanon’s prime minister, responded on his X profile that “the seven martyrs in the Israeli strike on Ansar town were not ‘military infrastructure,’ and the children and women killed were not military targets.” Hezbollah has condemned the attacks, accused Netanyahu of escalating the war “in order to strengthen his domestic political position,” and vowed that the strikes would be “met with an appropriate response.” The killing of civilians is unacceptable. Stopping terrorism should not come at the expense of innocent people. Furthermore, continued fighting will worsen Lebanon’s economic and humanitarian crises. Ultimately, civilians are paying the price for this conflict, as demonstrated by the deaths of 11 civilians on August 15. Rather than relying on belligerents for the truth, we must encourage independent investigations, such as those from third-party groups and international organizations. These investigations are crucial, whether the attacks are claimed to be targeted at civilians or a use of civilians as “military infrastructure.” This is the only way that the potential war crime can be addressed, bringing justice to those who have been killed. Hezbollah is an Iran-backed Shiite militia group based in Lebanon. The United States and many other countries consider it a terrorist organization. There has long been conflict between Israel and Hezbollah due to the disputed Israel-Lebanon border, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the Syrian Civil War. On March 2, the current conflict began after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Since then, according to Lebanese officials, more than a million people in Lebanon have been displaced, more than 4,300 killed, and more than 12,000 wounded. In the same time period, Israeli officials have reported that Hezbollah has killed more than 30 Israeli soldiers and civilians. On June 20, a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hezbollah to halt the fighting and pave the way to establish a more durable peace. However, fighting has continued across southern Lebanon, with both sides accusing the other of violating the truce. Both sides remain at odds over the terms of a framework agreement, signed June 26 by Israel, Lebanon, and the U.S., that was intended to wind down the conflict. Under the agreement, Israel is expected to gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon and the Lebanese Armed Forces to gradually move in. However, it has been criticized in Lebanon because it does not set out a timetable or guarantee for the Israeli withdrawal and ties the process to Hezbollah’s disarmament, which Lebanon has long struggled to do. In addition, Hezbollah, which was not involved in the deal’s negotiations, has completely rejected it. As no withdrawal has occurred, the Lebanese and Israeli governments have since been holding negotiations. Meanwhile, Israel has continued to occupy parts of southern Lebanon, carry out strikes across the region, demolish civilian buildings, destroy water and energy infrastructure, and cause widespread destruction. Israeli officials have said they will not pull out until Hezbollah is disarmed, and that these attacks are necessary to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of people have been unable to return to their homes due to the presence of Israeli forces and the destruction of their villages. With a long history of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, it is unlikely that an ultimate peace will be reached anytime soon. At the same time, it is unreasonable to believe that the scale of the catastrophe in Lebanon can be entirely chalked up to fighting Hezbollah. This is demonstrated through the widespread destruction of civilian homes, devastation of basic services, and widespread death and injury. Meanwhile, this same level of devastation has not been seen in Israel, as demonstrated by the significantly higher death toll and decreased living standards in Lebanon compared to Israel. Moving forward, it will likely be necessary for a third party to help negotiate a permanent ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel. However, it is essential that all groups, including Hezbollah, agree to the terms. This agreement should lay out clear steps for Israel’s de-occupation of southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed a landmark defence agreement last Friday that would treat an attack on one country as an attack on all On Tuesday, August 11th, Lebanon’s parliament passed a vote to abolish the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment with aggravated hard labor. The In a July 28 report on the human rights condition in Afghanistan, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) disclosed it had documented 499

ANALYSIS How Hezbollah views the evolution of the Ali Taher battle L'OLJ / By Scarlett HADDAD, 20 August 2026 13:41 Lire cet article en français The Ali Taher hill remains in the spotlight. Could this strategic high ground, coveted by Israel, become the spark that sets off a new regional war? Within Hezbollah, the signals are mixed. While Hezbollah’s more prominent public figures refuse to address the issue openly, two views are currently emerging in more closed circles. The first points to a recent statement by Iran’s chief negotiator with the United States, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf, who said he was in direct and constant contact with the fighters at Ali Taher. Supporters of this view see the statement as unequivocal evidence of the hill’s importance to the Iranians themselves. Ghalibaf, they argue, was signaling that the site falls under Iran’s responsibility, and that any decisive attack aimed at taking control of it would inevitably draw Iran directly into the fight over this hill. That, in turn, could trigger a new full-scale regional war, with the United States becoming involved. Read more Ali Taher: Israel turns against the US-backed compromise The second appears, at first glance, to be the opposite of the first. It plays down the hill’s importance, arguing that it is the Israelis who are exaggerating its significance by claiming that a strategic Hezbollah command center is located there. According to these circles, Israel is seeking a symbolic victory that would help Benjamin Netanyahu and his camp win the next parliamentary elections, scheduled for Oct. 27. The Ali Taher hill does overlook the Nabatieh district and commands access to Iqlim al-Tuffah. But, they argue, it is no more important than the hill on which Beaufort Castle stands or the heights overlooking Wadi al-Houjeir. Against this backdrop, a question is increasingly being raised: could Hezbollah’s sudden efforts to downplay the importance of the Ali Taher hill actually reflect a belief that the site is destined to fall into Israel’s hands? Those who subscribe to this view argue that this is why the party has begun circulating information suggesting that Ali Taher is not, in fact, a decisive factor in the course of the battle. Read more From Tehran to Ali Taher: Countdown to ‘days of fighting’? Asked about the issue, Hezbollah gives an indirect answer. It maintains that every inch of Lebanese territory is important, but some locations carry greater symbolic weight than others and attract more media attention. The Ali Taher hill is one of these sites, and the two views within Hezbollah agree on the same conclusion that the Israelis want to seize it, but without triggering a major war. Israel therefore wants Ali Taher for several reasons, including the fact that the hill lies outside the yellow line that Israel drew south of the Litani River to mark the Lebanese territory it occupies. Seizing the hill would thus be an indirect way for Israel to have freedom of action beyond that zone. Similarly, from Hezbollah’s perspective, beyond the south of the Litani River, the issue of its disarmament becomes an internal Lebanese matter linked to a national defence strategy. However, by stepping up their attacks on Ali Taher Hill, the Israelis are seeking to make it clear that, as far as they are concerned, Hezbollah must be disarmed across the whole of the country. According to Hezbollah, the Israelis are attempting to take control of this site in two ways. First, gradually, by tightening the noose around it and even pumping gas into the exposed tunnel openings to suffocate those inside, paving the way for a ground advance without having to fight a major battle. Read more Ali Taher, yellow line and Iran’s return: South Lebanon on the brink of further escalation Secondly, the Israelis are seeking to take control of this zone through negotiations in Rome. According to the group, the U.S. proposed that the army take control of Ali Taher, which would thus gradually become more accessible to the Israelis. The army expressed reservations precisely so as not to give the Israelis an advantage, and the negotiations came to a standstill. However, according to Hezbollah, Iran’s threats have had the desired effect, and the U.S. is unwilling to risk a return to full-scale confrontation in the region. Moreover, an Israeli takeover of Ali Taher would mean that the security of residents in northern Israel would once again be at risk, which could have a decisive impact on the outcome of the vote. There is, however, Hezbollah does not mention the idea of postponing Israeli elections. For now, no one is openly discussing it, but the idea is beginning to circulate quietly. _This article was translated fromL'Orient-Le Jour and translated by Joelle El Khoury._ Already have an account? Login here Log in to your account to see the results of the polls [](https://today.lorientlejour.com/account/login_facebook) [](https://lorientlejour.com/account/login_google?redirect=https://today.lorientlejour.com/account) The Ali Taher hill remains in the spotlight. Could this strategic high ground, coveted by Israel, become the spark that sets off a new regional war? Within Hezbollah, the signals are mixed. While Hezbollah’s more prominent public figures refuse to address the issue openly, two views are currently emerging in more closed circles.The first points to a recent statement by Iran’s chief negotiator with the United States, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf, who said he was in direct and constant contact with the fighters at Ali Taher. Supporters of this view see the statement as unequivocal evidence of the hill’s importance to the Iranians themselves. Ghalibaf, they argue, was signaling that the site falls under Iran’s responsibility, and that any decisive attack aimed at taking control of it would inevitably draw Iran directly into... You have reached your article limit Stay informed this summer. Subscribe for $0.5/month for 3 months. Subscribe now Log in This article is only available to L’Orient Today subscribers. Subscribe now Log in Already have an account? 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Sections Resources Resources Iran Warns US Against Israeli Attack on South Lebanon Ridge Held by Hezbollah, Sources Say Reuters A satellite image shows damage at the Ali al-Taher ridge near Nabatiah, Lebanon, March 8, 2026. 2026 Planet Labs PBC/Handout via REUTERS By Maya Gebeily BEIRUT, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Iran has warned the United States that it would respond forcefully to an ⁠Israeli ⁠offensive on a mountainous ridge in southern Lebanon where Iranian ⁠military personnel are holed up alongside Hezbollah fighters, three officials briefed on the message told Reuters. The message, delivered last month, highlights Iran's continued direct involvement ​in the ground fighting in southern Lebanon and its readiness to retaliate against Israeli attacks there as the regional war enters its seventh month. Hezbollah is believed to have built an underground command center and weapons stores within the ‌Ali al-Taher ridge, which has a commanding view of southeastern ‌Lebanon, according to Lebanese security sources, and has become one of the most contested pieces of ground in the Israel-Hezbollah war. Hezbollah has said in public statements that it controls the hill and will confront any Israeli ⁠advances. Its officials have ⁠referred to a "facility" there, but have declined to provide details. The Israeli military has occupied swathes of territory to Ali al-Taher's south ​and has identified the ridge as one of its "primary operational focuses" in public statements. In its message to Washington, Tehran threatened that any full-fledged Israeli offensive on the ridge would be met with a large-scale Iranian attack, said the three officials in the region, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity. Hezbollah declined to comment on whether Iranian forces were present in Ali al-Taher. In response to Reuters questions about the message, or whether the U.S. had put pressure on Israel ​not to attack Ali al-Taher, a White House official said, "this is not accurate." There was no immediate comment from Iran's permanent mission in Geneva, the U.S. Defense Department, or Oman's foreign ministry. The ⁠Israeli ⁠military declined to comment. IRGC FORCES HOLED UP, ⁠OFFICIALS SAY Two of the officials said the message ​was delivered via Oman, which has played a mediating role. Those two regional officials, briefed by Tehran, said over a dozen members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, ​including at least two senior officers, were with Hezbollah fighters. The ⁠third source, a foreign official with direct knowledge of the message, said it was delivered around mid-August and that as a result of U.S. pressure, Israel had put off storming Ali al-Taher. Contacted by Reuters, Hezbollah's media office neither confirmed nor denied Iran's message but said it was a "natural conclusion" that such a warning would have been sent about the ridge. "Iran considers any Israeli move on the ground in southern Lebanon, especially territorial expansion, a major violation of the Islamabad Agreement," Hezbollah's media office said, referring to the June U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding that included a Lebanon ceasefire. Iran fired missiles towards Israel in early June in retaliation for attacks on Hezbollah on the ⁠Lebanese capital's outskirts. ISRAEL SEEKS TO BESIEGE HEZBOLLAH FIGHTERS Despite a ceasefire announced in June, the Israeli military has said Hezbollah is still operating around the ⁠ridge and twice over the last week launched explosive drones towards Israeli troops near the ridge. In July, it said it had launched an air strike on a Hezbollah fighter near an access shaft to the underground site at Ali al-Taher and vowed not to allow Hezbollah to operate in the area or pose a threat to Israeli soldiers. An Israeli military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters in June that Hezbollah fighters were stuck underground without food or water. Israeli newspaper Maariv, citing a military source, said on Thursday that the Israeli military assessed there were no IRGC forces in Ali al-Taher and that some Hezbollah fighters had died without food and water. The third official said Israel's military was trying to smoke out Hezbollah and IRGC personnel by besieging them, shooting down attempted drone deliveries of food and water to the ridge. "What we have seen over the past month is Israeli pressure to besiege Ali al-Taher in order to impose a reality within this facility that renders it uninhabitable. This approach, and the absence of a large-scale attack, means that it is possible a message ⁠was conveyed through several countries -- this is a natural conclusion," Hezbollah's media office told Reuters. HEZBOLLAH THREATENS RETALIATION A Lebanese source briefed by Hezbollah said the group's fighters can still access their positions through the ridge's northern side. Reuters could not independently confirm the military situation at Ali al-Taher, which Israel's military has included in a self-declared security zone occupied by its troops and off-limits to Lebanese. Despite Iran's warning, the Lebanese source and a senior Lebanese security official said an Israeli military operation to capture the ridge was still possible in the coming weeks. Hezbollah ​said any large-scale attack on Ali al-Taher would mean a return to full-blown war, and could see missiles landing on northern Israeli communities. (Reporting by Maya Gebeily; Additional ​reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin in Geneva and Emily Rose in Jerusalem, Editing by Alexandra Hudson) Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters. Tags:Iran,Pakistan,Lebanon,United States,Israel,Middle East Read More Cartoons Photos Have the parent playbook for applying to college delivered to your inbox each Thursday. By Signing Up, you will receive the latest updates, including emails, from U.S. News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors, and you agree to ourTerms and Conditions&Privacy Policy. NEWSLETTERS Have the parent playbook for applying to college delivered to your inbox each Thursday. By Signing Up, you will receive the latest updates, including emails, from U.S. News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors, and you agree to ourTerms and Conditions&Privacy Policy. Get the Admissions Edge With Getting In! Have the parent playbook for applying to college delivered to your inbox each Thursday. Sign in to manage your newsletters » By clicking "Sign Up", you will receive the latest updates, including emails, from U.S. News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors, and you agree to ourTerms and Conditions&Privacy Policy. U.S. News StaffJune 29, 2026 June 24, 2026, at 11:36 a.m. April 28, 2025 Davi SchulmanSept. 3, 2026 Stella GarnerSept. 3, 2026 Jenna RomaineSept. 3, 2026 Holliday WoodardSept. 2, 2026 Gordon RobisonSept. 2, 2026 Stella GarnerSept. 2, 2026 Gordon RobisonSept. 2, 2026 Best Countries Best States News U.S. News Decision Points Photos Ideas & Opinions Events New York Local Best Countries Best States News U.S. News Decision Points Photos Ideas & Opinions Events New York Local

Ali al-Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon has become one of the main points of confrontation between Israel and the Hezbollah group. The high ground is located about 15 km from the Israeli border and provides a view over a significant part of southeastern Lebanon, Asharq Al-Awsat reports. Israel held this area during its 22-year occupation of southern Lebanon, which ended in 2000. After the current war began on March 2, the Israeli military advanced deeper into southern Lebanon and occupied a number of high points, including the historic Beaufort Castle on the way to Ali al-Taher. In June, the Israeli army described the ridge as one of its main operational directions and included it on a map of an expanded self-declared buffer zone where its forces operate. Underground infrastructure According to Lebanese security sources cited by Reuters, Hezbollah likely established an underground command center and weapons depots inside the ridge. Ali al-Taher stands about 600 meters above sea level, which analysts believe gave the group an advantage for launching short-range rockets and drones toward northern Israel. The ridge also connects the border areas of southern Lebanon with the hilly Iqlim al-Tuffah area to the north, which Lebanese sources described as an important Hezbollah logistical and operational base. The Israeli Air Force has carried out intensive strikes on the high ground in recent months. More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram. In June, an Israeli military official, speaking anonymously, told Reuters that Hezbollah fighters were trapped underground without food and water. The Times of Israel, citing a military investigation, reported that one Israeli serviceman was killed and another 13 were wounded on June 20 during an operation to seize a large Hezbollah underground facility. The group, for its part, said it controlled the area and was ready to counter attempts by Israeli forces to advance or infiltrate. Negotiating deadlock Ali al-Taher is located near the settlement of Zawtar al-Gharbiya, which Israeli forces left in July under a roadmap agreed through US mediation. It envisaged the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon as Lebanese forces disarmed Hezbollah. Implementation of the agreements has stalled: Hezbollah refuses to lay down its weapons, while Israel says it will not withdraw its troops until the group is disarmed. Andrea Tenenti, a former spokesperson for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, believes that capturing Ali al-Taher could be an important achievement for the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of elections scheduled for October. Lebanese analyst and retired general Hassan Jouni told Reuters that Israel may avoid an assault because of the risk of casualties among its troops. Read us on Telegram and Sends

View of the Beaufort Castle and destroyed houses at a village in southern Lebanon, as it seen from the Israeli side of the border, May 31, 2026. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Thursday that the Israeli army has cleared the Ali al- Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, which he said Hezbollah with help and funding by Iran had developed as an extension of the Beaufort (al-Shakif) position. According to Netanyahu, the ridge was used to threaten the northern Israeli settlements of Kiryat Shmona and Metula and was positioned as part of Hezbollah’s plans to potentially invade the Galilee. “We instructed the IDF (Israeli army) to clear it. I congratulate the Chief of Staff, the Northern Command commander and our heroic soldiers. They did a tremendous job there,” Netanyahu said. He said Israeli forces seized weapons and computers from the position and eliminated numerous Hezbollah fighters during the operation. “Today we can say it: the Ali Taher ridge no longer threatens us,” Netanyahu declared his comments come after the IDF announced on Thursday that it had completed the clearance of two Hezbollah underground infrastructures on the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon and that forces are now working to neutralize them. According to the military, the infrastructures were built over a period of about two decades and were planned and funded by Iran. Forces from the IDF’s 36th Division have operated in the area in recent weeks and, according to the military, achieved operational control of the ridge both above and below ground. During the operation, the area was cleared of Hezbollah operatives who had been stationed there, with some killed and others fleeing. Inside the underground infrastructure, the forces found command rooms, weapons storage rooms, generators, living quarters, showers, and a kitchen. The IDF said the complex allowed Hezbollah operatives to remain underground for extended periods and conduct combat operations from there. According to the military, terrorist attack plans against Israel and IDF forces were carried out from the tunnels. Following operations conducted there in recent weeks, the ability to carry out additional attacks from the sites was neutralized. The forces’ efforts to neutralize the tunnels are ongoing, and once completed, the IDF will redeploy for defensive operations in accordance with its assessment of the situation. The military emphasized that operations in southern Lebanon are continuing and that the IDF remains committed to the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon. The capture of the Ali al-Taher ridge, with its peak being the Beaufort Castle, was a complex operation that lasted several months, according to Jerusalem Post In the first stage, engineering forces mapped the upper section of the ridge and destroyed tunnels, shuttered openings aimed at Israeli communities and the border, weapons depots, long-term living quarters, command rooms, and operating rooms. Too late for Iran action The interesting part is that Netanyahu’s declaration comes after Iran warned the United States that it would respond forcefully to any Israeli offensive on the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon where Iranian military personnel are holed up alongside Hezbollah fighters, three officials briefed on the message told Reuters. The Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, which is named after a Shi’ite Muslim scholar whose shrine sits at its summit, has become one of the most contested pieces of ground in the Israel-Hezbollah war. The cluster of hills is not especially large. But what it overlooks in southern Lebanon — and what Hezbollah is suspected to have built beneath it — thrust it to the centre of the fight between Israel and the Iran-backed militia Located about 15 km (10 miles) from the Israeli border, the Ali al-Taher ridge has a commanding view of a broad sweep of southeastern Lebanon. Israel held it during a 22-year occupation of south Lebanon that ended in 2000. After the current war erupted on March 2, Israeli troops pushed deep into southern Lebanon and seized key hilltops, including the historic Beaufort Castle on the route to Ali al-Taher. In June, Israel’s military described the ridge as one of its “primary operational focuses,” and included it in a map of an expanded, self-declared buffer zone where its troops are operating. The ridge has effectively become a dividing point between a swathe of Lebanese territory occupied by Israeli troops to the south, and towns to the north that Israel’s air force has bombed heavily, including Nabatieh. WHY IS IT STRATEGIC? Hezbollah is believed to have built an underground command centre and weapons stores within the ridge itself, Lebanese security sources told Reuters in July. At 600 metres above sea level, it granted Hezbollah an advantage in launching short-range missiles and drones towards northern Israel, according to analysts. Ali al-Taher also connects border areas in southern Lebanon to the hilly Iqlim al-Tuffah region further north, which has long served as a key logistical and operational base for Hezbollah, the Lebanese security sources said. In June, an Israeli military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters that Hezbollah fighters were stuck underground without food or water. The Times of Israel, citing a military probe, said on June 20 that one Israeli soldier was killed and 13 wounded during operations to capture a major underground Hezbollah facility beneath the ridge. Hezbollah has said that Israel has sought to advance but that its fighters still had “full control over the area and are at complete readiness to confront any attempt by the enemy forces to advance or infiltrate.” In July, the Israeli military said it would “not allow Hezbollah terrorists to emerge from the underground terrorist infrastructure and operate in the area or pose a threat” to Israeli soldiers. WHAT IS THE POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE? Ali al-Taher lies near Zawtar Al Gharbiyeh, a town from which Israeli troops withdrew in July as part of a U.S.-brokered roadmap that would see Israeli troops gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon as Lebanese troops disarm Hezbollah. But with Hezbollah refusing to give up its weapons — and Israel saying it won’t withdraw until the group disarms — that plan has ground to a halt. As Israeli elections planned for October draw closer, capturing Ali al-Taher could be an attractive prize for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. The big question right now is : “When will Iran tell Hezbollah to hand over its arms to the Lebanese Army”,? Ali Hussei a Lebanese analyst was quoted as saying , adding , “Ali Al Taher was a huge deal for Hezbollah chief Naim Qasse, where is he hiding now and when will he escape to Iran “ REUTERS/ YL

The IDF said Thursday that it had completed the clearing of underground infrastructure on Lebanon’s Ali Taher ridge and was continuing efforts to neutralize the facilities. The announcement came hours after an Iranian warning over Israeli operations in the area and as Israeli strikes there continued into the evening. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Today we can already say it: We eliminated a great many terrorists there.” Troops from the IDF’s 36th Division have in recent weeks operated to clear two underground routes in the area. The military said it had achieved operational control both above and below ground and cleared the area of Hezbollah terrorists. According to the IDF, some of the terrorists were killed and others fled. “The activity to neutralize the underground infrastructure that has been cleared of terrorists is continuing, and once it is completed, the IDF will redeploy for renewed defensive operations,” the military said. According to the IDF, troops discovered underground command centers, weapons storage rooms, generator rooms, living quarters, showers and a kitchen. The facilities, the military said, “enabled the terrorists to manage the fighting and remain there for extended periods.” “This is strategic infrastructure that was built over two decades and funded and planned by the Iranian terror regime,” the IDF said. Operational control of the ridge was achieved through a range of tactics, including ambushes, attacks on tunnel shafts using gunfire and grenades, drone strikes and other forms of fire, according to the military. The IDF said the infrastructure had been built by terrorists from Hezbollah’s Badr unit with Iranian funding and planning, and had been used for managing fire systems, fighting Israeli troops and carrying out attacks against Israeli civilians over the past several decades. The military said Hezbollah had made continuous use of the ridge during Operations Northern Arrows and Lion’s Roar, and that Israeli troops advanced into the area after Hezbollah had been weakened over the course of the war, particularly during those operations. “IDF troops continue to operate to clear the security zone in southern Lebanon and will not allow the Hezbollah terrorist organization to advance terror attacks against them,” the military said. “Any attempt by the Hezbollah terrorist organization to act against IDF troops will be met with force. The IDF remains committed to the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon.” Brig. Gen. Yiftach Norkin, commander of the 36th Division, said from the area that the site was one of two underground networks where Israeli forces had been operating in recent weeks. “We are effectively completing the clearing and takeover of them,” he said. “These are assets from which Hezbollah commanded the latest campaign, and before that used to attack northern communities and IDF forces, including the division’s forces that captured Beaufort.” “The infrastructure was built over decades by the Iranians,” Norkin said. “We are currently operating in this area. Led by the Commando Brigade and the Yahalom combat engineering unit, operational control has been achieved both above ground and underground.” Earlier Thursday, Iran warned the United States that it would “respond forcefully” to an Israeli attack on the Ali Taher ridge, where, according to the Iranian claim, Iranian military personnel were trapped alongside Hezbollah terrorists. The message was delivered to Washington last month, Reuters reported, underscoring what the report described as Iran’s direct and continuing involvement in the fighting in southern Lebanon and its willingness to respond to Israeli strikes there. Tehran warned that any comprehensive Israeli attack on the ridge would trigger a large-scale Iranian response. It remains unclear what Iran considers a “comprehensive Israeli attack,” while Israel has continued operating in the area. IDF activity on the ridge has been underway for several weeks. Israeli security officials, however, dispute the Iranian claim and say there are no Iranian personnel in the area.

The way the battle above — and especially below — ground on the Ali Taher ridge ends will have a decisive impact on the outcome of the Third Lebanon War, and above all on the chances of disarming Hezbollah. That is why all the many parties involved in the fighting, and especially in the intensive diplomatic contacts taking place under the radar to end the confrontation, are maintaining as low a media profile as possible and releasing information sparingly. Hezbollah and the Iranians fear that media reports could sabotage their chances of reaching, through mediators, an arrangement that would allow their men to emerge safely and with minimal humiliation from the underground trap in which they are stuck. But what makes the confrontation so explosive is the fact that, in addition to several dozen Hezbollah fighters and senior commanders, Al Arabiya reports that several dozen Iranian “advisers,” most of them officers in the Revolutionary Guards, are also beneath the rocks of the Ali Taher ridge. They arrived over the past year at Hezbollah’s underground command center for the combat sector north of the Litani River. The importance of the ridge What Hezbollah calls the “Badr operational sector” stretches from the Litani River in the south to the Zahrani River in the north. At the center of this sector are the Nabatieh plateau and the city of Nabatieh. The Ali Taher ridge rises to an elevation of 600 meters directly to their west. Hezbollah chose to place the Badr sector headquarters and its heavy firepower on this ridge because it commands observation and fire over all the roads and terrain routes providing access to the strategically important Nabatieh plateau, and is close enough to the Israeli border to direct rocket and missile attacks on the Galilee home front and conduct a blocking battle against the IDF if it advances northward. Recognizing the ridge’s strategic importance, the IDF sent units from the 36th Division to seize the outskirts of Nabatieh and the Ali Taher ridge while clearing the Beaufort ridge to the south. The rapid move, based on detailed, high-quality intelligence about the underground headquarters complex, caught Hezbollah unprepared. Its men were surprised when troops from the Egoz unit and the Yahalom combat engineering unit appeared at the entrances to several shafts and surrounded them. Since then, there have been numerous attempts by Hezbollah fighters and Revolutionary Guards personnel to break out of the complex, or alternatively to bring supplies and reinforcements into it from villages on the Nabatieh plateau. In the fighting that developed from those attempts and from drone attacks, five IDF soldiers and officers were killed and 21 were wounded. Hezbollah lost more than 20 men, and the terrorist organization claimed recently that it had managed to bring reinforcements, water and food to those trapped inside, including through new shafts dug secretly and by drone. The terrorists and Iranian ‘advisers’ trapped inside The exact number of people trapped underground on the Ali Taher ridge is unknown, because some managed to escape before the IDF imposed a siege on the area about 10 weeks ago. Media estimates, including outlets close to Hezbollah such as Al Arabiya, put the number of Hezbollah members currently trapped underground at between 20 and 40, along with several dozen Revolutionary Guards officers. The presence of the Iranians and U.S. pressure to avoid regional escalation are apparently what dictate the cautious, slow pattern of fighting by the IDF forces surrounding the ridge, above and especially below ground. It is reasonable to assume that the IDF could have ended the affair several weeks ago had it used in the ridge tunnels the methods and techniques for clearing and neutralizing tunnels that it developed in the latest war in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. But had the IDF used those aggressive and effective methods, Lebanese rescue services would have brought dozens of dead and wounded Hezbollah members and Iranians out of the tunnels. Such images would have forced senior officials in Tehran to act on the explicit threats they have been making since June toward the United States and Israel. Senior figures in the Revolutionary Guards and Iran’s Supreme National Security Council have been clear that they view Hezbollah as a vital strategic Iranian asset, all the more so when Revolutionary Guards personnel are directly involved. It is therefore not difficult to guess how the Iranians would respond in the event of a bloodbath on the Ali Taher ridge. They would of course launch missiles and drones at Israel. The IDF would respond in Iran, and there is a strong chance that escalation would then spread to the Persian Gulf, with U.S. bases and Arab states along its shores coming under attack. At this time, such a development runs counter to the interests of the United States, Israel, the Arab Gulf states and the global energy market. In effect, an overly aggressive Israeli operation on the ridge could create a regional “butterfly effect” that none of the parties wants. Israel’s government has no interest, on the eve of an election, in dragging the civilian home front into another destructive and deadly round with Iran and expending munitions and aircraft flight hours to achieve more of the same. U.S. President Donald Trump certainly has no interest in escalation ahead of the midterm elections, in which he could lose his majority in both houses of Congress. In addition, at least for now, CENTCOM appears to be successfully escorting a growing number of oil tanker convoys through the Strait of Hormuz without incident. The U.S. economic blockade is also posing a growing threat to the Iranian regime, and another round of fighting could disrupt that. The Lebanese government, for its part, fears the effect that a casualty-heavy defeat on the ridge would have on its credibility among Lebanon’s Shiite community and on its standing across the country as a government capable of getting Israel to withdraw from territory it has captured. The IDF has been in a similar situation — and patience paid off Israel is in no rush, and the IDF certainly has no interest in waging prolonged battles that could result in heavy casualties in an underground maze that Hezbollah knows well and IDF soldiers must feel their way through. The IDF was already in a similar situation when it laid siege to a large tunnel complex in Rafah. In that battle, patience paid off. It took several weeks, but in the end most Hamas members trapped in the tunnels were killed, while a small number surrendered and were taken prisoner. In private conversations, senior officers say they would not object to the Ali Taher ridge episode ending in a similar way, even if it means waiting a little longer and, in the meantime, risking additional drone attacks. Hezbollah and its supporters, however, are in more of a hurry and are pressuring the Lebanese government, which in turn is pressuring the Americans. So alongside the fighting on the ground, diplomatic contacts are continuing constantly, almost all of them secret, in an effort to reach an endgame for the ridge without triggering a major escalation. The arena of secret negotiations The main negotiating arena is the direct talks between Lebanon and Israel, mediated by the United States, over a comprehensive arrangement to end the Lebanese-Israeli confrontation. The Lebanese are proposing that Hezbollah and Israel both withdraw and that the Lebanese army take control of the Ali Taher ridge and demilitarize it above and below ground. Under the proposal, the IDF would withdraw from the ridge and hand it over to the Lebanese army only after collecting the weapons and verifying that the Lebanese army will act to render the tunnels unusable. Hezbollah, it can be assumed, will not agree to hand over its weapons and will demand that the withdrawal of IDF forces and its own men take place simultaneously. Hezbollah apparently hopes in this way to withdraw with heads held high and weapons in hand, thereby reducing the humiliation inherent in such a situation. For now, however, it should be noted, the negotiations are deadlocked. All sides, as noted, now prefer to maintain a blackout both over what is happening on the ground and over what is happening diplomatically. Any publication could sabotage diplomatic efforts and trigger escalation across the region. What can be said is that the IDF currently has strong observation and fire control over the access routes and over most of the shafts leading into the enormous underground complex. In recent weeks, reports in Lebanon have claimed that the IDF managed to enter the complex’s tunnels, advance through them and draw closer to the location where the trapped Hezbollah members and Revolutionary Guards personnel are believed to be. For now, all that remains is to wait and see what happens next.

The IDF said Thursday that it had completed the clearing of underground infrastructure on Lebanon’s Ali Taher ridge and was continuing efforts to neutralize the facilities. The announcement came hours after an Iranian warning over Israeli operations in the area and as Israeli strikes there continued into the evening. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Today we can already say it: We eliminated a great many terrorists there.” Troops from the IDF’s 36th Division have in recent weeks operated to clear two underground routes in the area. The military said it had achieved operational control both above and below ground and cleared the area of Hezbollah terrorists. According to the IDF, some of the terrorists were killed and others fled. “The activity to neutralize the underground infrastructure that has been cleared of terrorists is continuing, and once it is completed, the IDF will redeploy for renewed defensive operations,” the military said. According to the IDF, troops discovered underground command centers, weapons storage rooms, generator rooms, living quarters, showers and a kitchen. The facilities, the military said, “enabled the terrorists to manage the fighting and remain there for extended periods.” “This is strategic infrastructure that was built over two decades and funded and planned by the Iranian terror regime,” the IDF said. Operational control of the ridge was achieved through a range of tactics, including ambushes, attacks on tunnel shafts using gunfire and grenades, drone strikes and other forms of fire, according to the military. The IDF said the infrastructure had been built by terrorists from Hezbollah’s Badr unit with Iranian funding and planning, and had been used for managing fire systems, fighting Israeli troops and carrying out attacks against Israeli civilians over the past several decades. The military said Hezbollah had made continuous use of the ridge during Operations Northern Arrows and Lion’s Roar, and that Israeli troops advanced into the area after Hezbollah had been weakened over the course of the war, particularly during those operations. “IDF troops continue to operate to clear the security zone in southern Lebanon and will not allow the Hezbollah terrorist organization to advance terror attacks against them,” the military said. “Any attempt by the Hezbollah terrorist organization to act against IDF troops will be met with force. The IDF remains committed to the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon.” Brig. Gen. Yiftach Norkin, commander of the 36th Division, said from the area that the site was one of two underground networks where Israeli forces had been operating in recent weeks. “We are effectively completing the clearing and takeover of them,” he said. “These are assets from which Hezbollah commanded the latest campaign, and before that used to attack northern communities and IDF forces, including the division’s forces that captured Beaufort.” “The infrastructure was built over decades by the Iranians,” Norkin said. “We are currently operating in this area. Led by the Commando Brigade and the Yahalom combat engineering unit, operational control has been achieved both above ground and underground.” Earlier Thursday, Iran warned the United States that it would “respond forcefully” to an Israeli attack on the Ali Taher ridge, where, according to the Iranian claim, Iranian military personnel were trapped alongside Hezbollah terrorists. The message was delivered to Washington last month, Reuters reported, underscoring what the report described as Iran’s direct and continuing involvement in the fighting in southern Lebanon and its willingness to respond to Israeli strikes there. Tehran warned that any comprehensive Israeli attack on the ridge would trigger a large-scale Iranian response. It remains unclear what Iran considers a “comprehensive Israeli attack,” while Israel has continued operating in the area. IDF activity on the ridge has been underway for several weeks. Israeli security officials, however, dispute the Iranian claim and say there are no Iranian personnel in the area.

Division 36 recently completed the clearing of two underground Hezbollah hideouts in the Ali Taher Range in southern Lebanon. According to an IDF spokesman’s announcement this evening (Thursday), the forces achieved operational control of the ridge area above and below ground, and cleared the area of terrorists, some of whom were eliminated and some of whom fled the scene. Operational control was achieved through ambushes, shaft firing, the use of grenades, drones, and fire assaults. The activity to neutralize the underground infrastructure that was cleared of terrorists is still ongoing. According to the IDF, after the end of the activity, the IDF will prepare for renewed defense in accordance with the assessment of the situation. “The terrorists who were in the infrastructure carried out terrorist plots against the State of Israel and IDF forces. Following the activity in their plots in recent weeks, the ability to carry out terrorist plots against citizens of the State of Israel and IDF forces from within the plots was neutralized,” the IDF statement said. The underground infrastructure contained command centers, weapons rooms, generator rooms, living rooms, showers, and a kitchen that allowed the terrorists to conduct the fighting and stay there for long periods of time. Commander of the 36th Division, Brigadier General Yiftach Norkin, from one of the underground infrastructures on the Ali Taher Ridge. According to military data, this is a strategic infrastructure that was built over two decades, financed and planned by the Iranian terrorist regime. Both infrastructures were used by the unit’s terrorists to manage fire systems and execute terror plots against Israeli citizens and security forces over the past decades. During the war, and particularly in Operations ‘Northern Arrows’ and ‘Harry’s Roar’, the terrorist organization’s terrorists used these routes continuously. The IDF has recently advanced into the Ali Taher Ridge area, after weakening Hezbollah throughout the fighting. “IDF forces continue to work to clear the security area in southern Lebanon, and will not allow the Hezbollah terrorist organization to advance terrorist plots against them,” the IDF statement said. “Any attempted action by the Hezbollah terrorist organization against IDF forces will be met with force. The IDF continues to be committed to the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon.” The Upper Galilee Regional Council updated that in the coming hours the IDF is expected to carry out a series of attacks on the Lebanese front. Explosions are expected to be heard in the Western Galilee, the Hula Valley and the Ramim Range, and possibly also in the northern Golan Heights. There is no change in the instructions for the public. The news in brief: The IDF has completed the cleanup of the underground infrastructure in the Ali Taher Ridge. The forces of the 36th Division achieved operational control above and below ground in the area. Within the infrastructure were operational headquarters, ammunition rooms, living rooms, and a kitchen. The infrastructure was built over two decades with Iranian funding and planning. The IDF is currently working to neutralize the infrastructure found after it was cleared.

Shafaq News- Beirut Israel carried out a wave of airstrikes and artillery attacks across three districts in southern Lebanon on Wednesday. According to local media, Israeli artillery fire hit Mansouri in the Tyre district, while fighter jets struck Beit Yahoun and Al-Qantara in the Marjayoun district. الطيران الحربي الاسرائيلي شن غارة على دوحة كفررمان وأخرى على مرتفع علي الطاهر ملقيا عددا من الصواريخ الارتجاجيةhttps://t.co/FmAH8EdJXt Israeli warplanes also targeted Arabsalim and the Doha area of Kfar Roummane before heavily striking Ali al-Taher Hill on the northern outskirts of Nabatieh Al-Fawqa in the Nabatieh district. Explosions were heard across the area. No casualties were reported in the attacks. Lebanon's Health Ministry put the cumulative toll from Israeli attacks between March 2 and August 28 at 4,352 killed and 12,318 wounded. The Israeli military said Hezbollah launched two explosive-laden drones toward its troops in the Ali al-Taher Hill, with Israeli forces striking one of the group's infrastructure sites in the Nabatieh area in response. Hezbollah did not immediately comment. חיזבאללה שיגר שני רחפני נפץ לעבר כוחותינו הפועלים במרחב הביטחוני: צה"ל תקף תשתיות טרור של הארגון בתגובהארגון הטרור חיזבאללה שיגר במהלך הלילה שני רחפני נפץ לעבר כוחות צה"ל במרחב רכס עלי טאהר, הלוחמים ירו לעבר אחד הרחפנים ויירטו אותו. אין נפגעים לכוחותינו >>pic.twitter.com/KhX4Ea81Ms The activity also reached northern Israel, where air-raid sirens sounded in Kfar Yuval and surrounding areas in the Upper Galilee over a suspected drone infiltration, according to the Israeli military and the Home Front Command. The Israeli military later fired interceptor missiles at an aerial target, stating that the drone had crossed from Lebanese territory into Israel. There was no immediate information on casualties or damage.