Report: Hezbollah preparing for war with Israel

Report: Hezbollah preparing for war with Israel

Israel National News

Hezbollah is preparing for a possible war with Israel, Al-Arabiya reported.

The report follows assessments that Iran is pressuring the terror group to join the fighting if the US strikes Iran.

Sources who spoke with the Al-Arabiya claimed that the Friday airstrikes carried out in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley were a “prelude" to an Israeli military operation - one that appears likely to be conducted in parallel with strikes on Iran.

The report quoted sources close to Hezbollah who told Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath, both Saudi news outlets, that Hezbollah is no longer run by Lebanese leaders, but rather by officers of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, some of whom were already present in Lebanon.

According to the sources, the Iranian IRGC officers are not only responsible for rebuilding Hezbollah’s capabilities, but are also personally overseeing operational plans and meeting with Hezbollah teams in various areas in order to issue instructions.

The report added that these Iranian officers also met with members of the missile unit that was targeted Friday in the Beqaa region.

Hezbollah now managed by IRGC officers as it prepares for US, Israeli strike - report

TOBIAS SIEGAL

Hezbollah is currently being overseen by officers from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), rather than its traditional Lebanese leadership, according to Saturday reports from Arab media outlets.

In anticipation of a possible Israeli or American strike, Hezbollah has significantly intensified its military and security preparations under the close supervision of IRGC personnel who have recently arrived in Lebanon, sources close to the group told Al Arabiya and Al Hadath.

This shift in leadership comes amid growing concerns that both Hezbollah and Iran are bracing for an imminent military confrontation with Israel and the US.

Sources told Al Arabiya and Al Hadath that the IRGC officers are not only supervising the rebuilding of Hezbollah's military infrastructure but are also personally managing and executing strategic war plans.

These officers are reportedly holding regular meetings with Hezbollah operatives across Lebanon, offering direct instructions and guidance in preparation for a potential military conflict, which many analysts believe is inevitable.

A recent Israeli airstrike on Friday, which resulted in the deaths of several Hezbollah terrorists, was seen by both Tehran and Hezbollah as a possible precursor to larger Israeli operations targeting Iran’s regime and its regional proxies, reports said.

One such meeting reportedly took place at a Hezbollah command center in the Beqaa Valley, which housed a missile unit that was targeted in Israeli airstrikes on Friday night. Sources close to Hezbollah have speculated that the Israeli attack was merely the beginning of a broader Israeli military campaign against the group.

Back in Lebanon, political leaders are growing increasingly worried about the country’s role in the escalating regional tensions, according to Arab reports. Influential political figures are calling for an official stance of neutrality, urging the government to prevent Hezbollah from dragging Lebanon into a wider conflict, according to a report by Lebanese newspaper Nidaa Al-Watan.

Amid growing pressure on the Lebanese government to act decisively and distance Lebanon from the intensifying crisis, Israel has stated time and time again that it will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild and pose a threat to Israel's northern border.

On Wednesday, 91st Division Commander Brig.-Gen. Yuval said the IDF would stay “on the attack” in Lebanon.

“I am here to tell you that we are preparing for various scenarios. We have operational plans to act immediately, and our forces are distributed along the entire border and deep into the territory,” he said.