Hezbollah Refuses to Withdraw from Ali Taher Ridge Amid Rising Israeli Strikes in Southern Lebanon

Lebanese newspaper Nidaa al-Watan reported on Saturday that efforts led by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to persuade Hezbollah to withdraw from the Ali Taher Ridge and hand it over to the Lebanese Army have so far failed. Hezbollah has shown no cooperation, with concerns that Israeli escalation could extend beyond Ali Taher to nearby villages of Rihan and Sujud on the Jabal Rihan ridge, about 83 kilometers from Beirut.

Sources told the newspaper that Israel is unwilling to make further concessions unless Lebanon takes concrete steps to disarm Hezbollah. The stalemate on the ground is affecting negotiations, delaying the scheduling of the next round of talks in Rome. Difficulties remain regarding pilot zones and the supervisory committee involved in the process.

Meanwhile, the news site The Cradle reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have conducted at least ten attacks in Lebanon since midnight, including airstrikes on the village of Mansouri, artillery fire on targets in the Ali Taher Ridge, and drone strikes in Nabatiyeh. Israeli forces reportedly advanced into the village of Shuba, seized a house, and raised the Israeli flag. Additional strikes targeted southern Lebanon, causing fires in the towns of Aita al-Jabal and Hdaitha.

On Thursday, the IDF confirmed attacks on Hezbollah infrastructure in the Nabatiyeh area, including weapons depots intended for attacks against Israeli forces and civilians. These strikes were in response to Hezbollah's attempted drone bomb attacks against IDF troops operating near the Ali Taher Ridge. No casualties were reported from these incidents.