Hezbollah Vacates Strategic Ridge for IDF After Iranian Approval

Hezbollah vacated the Ali Taher ridge, handing it over directly to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) instead of the Lebanese army, following approval from Iran. This move has raised questions about whether it signifies an Iran-brokered arrangement or a de-escalation effort by international mediators to facilitate the safe exit of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps military experts from the site. A source involved in negotiations between Lebanon and Israel told the newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that Iran's threat to intervene and protect the ridge appears to have been hollow, similar to its unfulfilled threat to retaliate for the assassination of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Hezbollah has been attempting to downplay the significance of the Israeli takeover and destruction of underground infrastructure in the Ali Taher area, with Israeli media reportedly exaggerating the event as a major achievement. Lebanese parliament member Ihab Hamadeh, representing Hezbollah, stated that "even if it is true, it is not a disaster."