Israel Prepares to Seize Strategic Ali Taher Ridge in Lebanon Awaiting US Approval

Lebanese newspaper Al-Joumhouria reported on Friday that Israeli forces are preparing to launch an operation to capture the strategic Ali Taher ridge in southern Lebanon. According to a senior Lebanese security official, Israel is ready for the move but is waiting for a green light from the United States. The American side has reportedly informed Lebanese authorities that it cannot fully prevent the Israeli operation but has requested it be a precise, surgical strike minimizing civilian casualties and preserving the framework agreement between Jerusalem and Beirut.

The Lebanese official emphasized that Israel views this achievement as essential and will not back down. Attention is focused on Hezbollah's potential response and whether it will engage in combat. The official described the situation as a race against the impending US-Iran agreement, which is expected to impact the southern Lebanon front.

Recent Lebanese media speculation highlights Israel's tightening siege on Hezbollah fighters reportedly trapped in an underground facility on the Ali Taher ridge, including cutting off water supplies. Hezbollah militants are attempting to break the siege using drones to deliver supplies. These developments occur amid ongoing uncertainty about the future of the US-Iran deal and stalled Israel-Lebanon negotiations, which are expected to resume in early September but remain unresolved.

Sources told Lebanese channel Al-Jadeed that Beirut is intensifying demands for a ceasefire and expanding pilot zones before continuing negotiations with Israel. Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Akhbar newspaper cited American military sources expressing skepticism about significant Israeli military withdrawal before upcoming elections and acknowledging possible rapid Israeli military actions targeting sensitive Hezbollah positions in the Ali Taher hills.

A diplomatic source quoted by Lebanon's MTV network claimed that Beirut was informed Israel's political leadership authorized the army to strike Ali Taher. Another political source told Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that Israel links a ceasefire in Lebanon to Hezbollah's withdrawal from Ali Taher and handing control to the Lebanese army, calling this evacuation essential to implementing the framework agreement. Recent reports from Lebanon also describe ongoing Israeli military activity in southern villages, including destruction, controlled explosions, intermittent airstrikes, and artillery attacks.