Israel has escalated in Lebanon, advancing towards a major Hezbollah underground facility in the south of the country, despite a warning from Iran.
Recent weeks saw a notable increase in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, and on September 1, reports revealed that Israel is dissatisfied with the Lebanese army’s progress so far in disarming Hezbollah in the pilot zones agreed on as a part of a framework plan brokered by the United States last June.
Following these reports, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) intensified operations at the Ali Taher Ridge, located to the north of the Litani River, advancing at a slow pace towards a major Hezbollah underground facility beneath the height. On September 2, the military reported that Hezbollah targeted its troops there with two “explosive-laden drones.” In response, a series of Israeli strikes hit the city of Nabatieh near Ali Taher, killing at least one.
September 3 saw more escalation, with reports revealing that Iran has warned the U.S. that it will respond forcefully to any Israeli offensive on Ali Taher. The reports alleged that at least two dozen Iranian military personnel were holed up at the underground facility alongside Hezbollah fighters.
Despite the warning, the IDF said in a surprise announcement later on the same day that it had completed clearing out Ali Taher.
In a statement, the military claimed that in the past few weeks, troops of the 36th Division, after achieving “operational control of the ridge area above and below ground,” cleared two tunnel routes of Hezbollah fighters , killing some of them while others fled.
Inside the tunnels, Israeli troops found “command centers, weapons rooms, generator rooms, living quarters, showers, and a kitchen,” which the IDF said enabled Hezbollah fighters “to conduct fighting and remain there for extended periods.”
The statement was very vague as it said that the Israeli troops had “cleared” not captured the ridge. In addition, the military didn’t release video footage confirming its claims at the time.
Amid this escalation, a U.S.-brokered deal to free five Lebanese captives from Israel was announced, with one released on September 3, and the others scheduled to return home the next day. In return, Israel would receive help in locating the remains of the leaders of Lebanon’s Jewish community, who were abducted and killed in the 1980s.
The deal suggests that the IDF’s latest push towards Ali Taher took place with the consent of the Lebanese government, which could spark a serious conflict with Hezbollah.
While Hezbollah does not appear to be planning to escalate from its part currently, any further pressure from Israel could lead to the resumption of war in Lebanon. Iran will not likely stand aside, especially if the reports about its military personnel being deployed there are true.
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