Israel strikes Hezbollah sites on Ali al-Taher ridge, killing seven; Iran warns of escalation

Israeli forces carried out overnight airstrikes on the Ali al-Taher ridge and the villages of Ansar and Nabatieh al-Fawqa, killing seven people and wounding two, according to Lebanese media. The Israeli Defense Forces said the attacks targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in response to recent Hezbollah actions against Israeli soldiers in the security zone.

Iranian officials warned that any Israeli assault on the strategic ridge would lead Tehran to enter the escalation cycle, a message conveyed to relevant parties on Friday. Lebanese authorities said Israel is refusing to withdraw from the area unless it can be handed over to the Lebanese army, a condition Hezbollah also demands.

A senior Lebanese security official told the newspaper Al-Joumhouria that Israel is preparing a possible operation to capture the ridge and is awaiting U.S. approval. The official said Washington has asked Israel to keep any action precise and limit civilian casualties, while also urging that the move not undermine the existing framework agreement between the two countries.

Hezbollah fighters remain in an underground facility on the ridge, where Israeli forces have tightened a siege and cut water supplies. The group has been using drones to transport equipment in an effort to break the blockade.

In the West Bank, Israeli troops from the 931st Battalion of the Nahal Brigade are conducting exercises that simulate the terrain of southern Lebanon, preparing for potential renewed fighting on Israel’s northern front. The battalion commander said the drills involved full combat support, including drones and counter-measures against Hezbollah’s FPV drones.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, during a visit to the security zone, declared that Israeli forces will remain in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza for the long term. The statement drew criticism from a U.S. State Department official, who said a permanent Israeli presence in southern Lebanon conflicts with the framework agreement that ties Israeli redeployment to Hezbollah’s disarmament.

Negotiations between Lebanon and Israel on the security zone are expected to resume after the summer, with both sides reportedly rejecting proposals to expand pilot zones until progress is made in existing areas. Discussions have also touched on the return of remains of Lebanese Jews buried in Israeli cemeteries and the fate of missing persons from past conflicts.