Israel weighs Hezbollah showdown as Netanyahu-Trump meeting nears

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian 

Israel’s military intelligence branch has concluded that the meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump in Miami on the 29th of this month will lay out a roadmap for how Israel deals with Lebanon, and whether it will move to settle the Hezbollah file or wait for a period of time.

The branch prepared a report stating that Hezbollah would seek to conceal most of its military capabilities in tunnels and shelters located beneath residential buildings, a claim that supports calls within Israel to launch a large-scale operation against the group.

The report coincided with disclosures that the Israeli army has completed its war plan against Hezbollah.

The plan, finalized a month before the assassination of Hezbollah official Haytham Tabtabai, includes provisions aimed at ensuring a ceasefire mechanism is ready once Israel achieves its objectives. 

According to Israeli preferences, the mechanism would include American and Lebanese officers and operate between Beirut and the Northern Command headquarters in Safed.

Israel justifies the plan based on military assessments that Hezbollah would act according to an organized fire plan involving the launch of hundreds of rockets, artillery shells, and drones over several days.

In response to these reports, criticism has grown over U.S. pressure in shaping Israel’s future course.

According to security and military officials, Israel faces a dilemma: on one hand, it cannot take any decision regarding Lebanon without Washington’s backing, as the United States favors a diplomatic solution. 

On the other hand, Israel seeks to settle the confrontation with Hezbollah before launching any strike against Iran, amid claims that Tehran is intensifying its nuclear efforts.