Iran Warned US of Retaliation for Israeli Attack on Ali Taher Ridge

Iran issued a warning to the United States, stating it would "respond forcefully" to any Israeli attack on the Ali Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, where Iranian military personnel are reportedly stationed alongside Hezbollah fighters. According to Reuters, this message was conveyed to Washington in August, highlighting Iran's direct involvement in the conflict and its readiness to retaliate against Israeli actions in the area. Tehran threatened a large-scale Iranian response to any comprehensive Israeli assault on the ridge. However, Israeli security officials have disputed the presence of Iranians in the region.

Hezbollah has established an underground command center and weapons depots within the Ali Taher ridge, which overlooks southeastern Lebanon. The Israeli military has taken control of parts of the ridge, capturing dozens of militants. Hezbollah has publicly asserted control over the area and vowed to confront any Israeli advances, referring to a "facility" there without providing details. The IDF has described the ridge as a key operational focus in its public statements, having captured significant territory south of it.

Sources told Reuters that the message from Iran was relayed through Oman, which acted as a mediator. Two regional sources briefed by Tehran indicated that over a dozen members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including senior officers, are present with Hezbollah fighters. A third source with direct knowledge of the message stated it was delivered around mid-August, and that due to American pressure, Israel postponed an assault on Ali Taher. Hezbollah's media office neither confirmed nor denied the Iranian message but called such a warning a "natural conclusion" regarding the ridge, citing a potential violation of the Islamabad agreement, a US-Iran understanding that included a ceasefire in Lebanon.

Despite the June ceasefire announcement, the IDF reported that Hezbollah continued operations around the ridge, launching explosive drones towards fighters in the area. An anonymous IDF official mentioned in June that Hezbollah militants were trapped underground without food or water. Another source indicated that the IDF was attempting to force out Hezbollah and IRGC operatives by besieging them and intercepting attempts to deliver supplies via drones. Hezbollah's media office suggested that Israel's approach, short of a full-scale attack, aimed to make the facility uninhabitable, implying a message was sent. A Lebanese source, briefed by Hezbollah, stated their fighters could still reach positions via the ridge's northern side. Despite Iran's warning, both this Lebanese source and a senior Lebanese security official believe an Israeli operation to seize the ridge remains possible in the coming weeks. Hezbollah, conversely, warned that a broad attack would escalate to a full war, potentially leading to missile strikes on northern Israel.