Israel keeps northern front open as pressure builds on Lebanon over Hezbollah’s weapons—the details

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

Israel has left the situation along its northern border with Lebanon unresolved, waiting for the outcome of U.S. efforts to pressure Beirut into addressing Hezbollah’s arsenal and exploring a potential diplomatic track with Tel Aviv — one that Israeli officials say could eventually lead to a formal agreement between the two sides.

The Lebanese issue was at the center of discussions during a meeting of Israel’s security cabinet, which reviewed military plans drawn up by the army to counter what it described as Hezbollah’s expanding capabilities and preparations for possible attacks on Israel. According to Israeli reports, the army is ready to step up its operations, expand their scope, and update its list of approved targets — a plan that is already underway.

A senior military source familiar with the Northern Command’s preparations compared the new target list to Israel’s campaign against Gaza’s high-rises, saying the army’s main focus would be operations in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon — areas referred to as the defense line north of the Litani River.

Security officials had already warned that the current situation on the border is unsustainable and that the army is fully prepared for a possible offensive against Lebanon.

According to an Israeli intelligence report cited in local media, Hezbollah has strengthened its capabilities through three main routes: smuggling weapons overland from Iraq through Syria into Lebanon, transferring weapons by sea, and manufacturing arms inside Lebanon with the help and supervision of Iranian specialists.

Despite the heightened military readiness, Israeli officials remain doubtful that diplomatic efforts will succeed — either in disarming Hezbollah or in opening a political channel with Beirut.

Decision-makers in Tel Aviv are also expected to stay aligned with Washington’s approach, particularly its insistence that the post-ceasefire conditions cannot revert to the previous status without U.S. coordination and approval.

Still, Israeli political and military sources warn that tensions could escalate further by December if diplomatic efforts falter, with the Lebanese army expected to continue working to dismantle Hezbollah’s infrastructure south of the Litani River — a development that could set the stage for a new war between Israel and Lebanon.