Hezbollah Increases Military Activity in Lebanon Awaiting Iran's Green Light

Hezbollah is intensifying its military operations in southern Lebanon as it awaits approval from Iran for further escalation, according to a source cited by the Lebanese newspaper Nidaa Al-Watan on Sunday. The source indicated that Hezbollah aims to disrupt the direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, which have made unexpected progress under U.S. sponsorship. The escalation in southern Lebanon raises the risk of renewed conflict and threatens to collapse the ongoing peace talks.

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department told Al-Jazeera that Hezbollah is the primary obstacle to Lebanon's economic recovery. The spokesperson held the Shiite militant group solely responsible for the continued Israeli presence in Lebanese territory and emphasized that the contested areas are the only practical route to achieving peace. The U.S. expects the Lebanese army to complete security operations in these zones to facilitate stability and progress in the peace process.