Iran Warns US of Major Attack If Israel Advances on Lebanon's Ali al-Taher Ridge

Iran has communicated a stern warning to the United States, stating it will launch a significant retaliatory strike if Israel initiates an offensive on the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon. This strategic area is reportedly occupied by Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operatives alongside Hezbollah fighters. The warning was conveyed to Washington last month, signaling Iran's direct involvement in the conflict and its readiness to respond to Israeli actions in the region, according to three officials who reviewed Tehran's message, as reported by Reuters.

Sources within Lebanese security services indicate that Hezbollah has established an underground command center and weapons depots on the Ali al-Taher ridge, a vantage point overlooking a substantial portion of southeastern Lebanon. This ridge has become a focal point in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Hezbollah has publicly asserted control over the ridge and vowed to resist any Israeli advance, though they have only vaguely acknowledged the presence of an "installation" there.

Israeli military forces control areas south of Ali al-Taher and have identified the ridge as a "top operational priority." Regional officials speaking anonymously to Reuters stated that Tehran's message to Washington explicitly warned of a major Iranian attack should Israel launch a full-scale offensive on the ridge. Hezbollah declined to comment on the presence of Iranian military personnel on the ridge. A White House representative denied that the U.S. is pressuring Israel to avoid an attack on Ali al-Taher, stating, "This is not accurate."

Reuters sources suggest the Iranian warning was relayed to the U.S. via Oman, a frequent mediator between the two nations. These sources claim over a dozen IRGC members, including at least two senior officers, are present with Hezbollah fighters on the ridge. Another source, a foreign official familiar with the message, indicated it was delivered around mid-August and suggested that U.S. pressure subsequently led Israel to postpone an assault on Ali al-Taher.

Hezbollah did not confirm or deny the Iranian message but suggested such a warning was a "natural conclusion" given the circumstances. The group stated that Iran views any Israeli territorial expansion in southern Lebanon as a serious violation of the U.S.-brokered June memorandum of understanding that included a ceasefire in Lebanon. This follows an earlier incident in June where Iran fired missiles at Israel in response to strikes on Hezbollah in Beirut.

Despite the June ceasefire, the IDF reports that Hezbollah continues operations near Ali al-Taher, including drone attacks on Israeli soldiers. The IDF has targeted Hezbollah operatives near entrances to underground facilities on the ridge, vowing to prevent the group from operating there. Some Israeli military sources have suggested that Hezbollah fighters underground are trapped without supplies, and that IRGC presence is unconfirmed, contradicting other reports. However, a third Reuters source claims the IDF is employing tactics to force militants out of their positions by blocking the area and intercepting supplies, a strategy Hezbollah's press service indirectly acknowledged.

Hezbollah has warned that a large-scale Israeli offensive on Ali al-Taher would signify a return to full-scale war, potentially involving renewed rocket fire into northern Israel. Despite Iran's warning, Lebanese sources believe an Israeli operation to capture the ridge could still occur in the coming weeks.