Three informed officials told Reuters that Iran has warned the United States it would respond forcefully to any Israeli attack on Ali Taher Hill in southern Lebanon. According to regional sources, the location houses Iranian Revolutionary Guard members along with Hezbollah fighters.
The message, conveyed to Washington via Oman, reveals Iran's continued direct involvement in ground combat in southern Lebanon and Tehran's readiness to respond to any extensive Israeli aggression on the site as the regional conflict enters its seventh month.
Lebanese security sources claimed that Hezbollah constructed an underground command center and weapons storage within Ali Taher Hill, overseeing a vast area in southeast Lebanon and becoming a focal point of confrontation between Israel and the group.
Iran's Message via Oman
Two regional officials stated that the Iranian message was sent through Oman, acting as a mediator between Tehran and Washington. According to the officials, more than ten Revolutionary Guard members, including at least two senior officers, were present alongside Hezbollah fighters in the area.
A foreign official directly familiar with the message noted: "It was delivered around mid-August, prompting Israel to delay storming the hill due to U.S. pressure."
In response, a White House official told Reuters that claims of Washington pressing Israel not to attack the hill were "inaccurate."
Siege or Preparation for Military Operation?
An informed source stated that the Israeli army is attempting to force Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guard members out of their hideouts by besieging the hill and intercepting drones trying to supply them with food and water.
A Lebanese source added that Hezbollah fighters could still access their positions from the hill's north side.
Despite the Iranian warning, a Lebanese official familiar with the situation and a Lebanese security official indicated that the potential for an Israeli military operation to seize the hill remains over the coming weeks.
Hezbollah: Extensive Attack Means Return to War
Hezbollah warned that any vast Israeli attack on Ali Taher Hill would signify a return to all-out war and possibly trigger rocket launches toward civilian areas in northern Israel.
The group's media office stated that recent actions suggest Israeli pressure to besiege the site and create unlivable conditions, noting that the absence of a broad attack so far might be linked to the Iranian message and its repercussions.
Hezbollah emphasized that any significant Israeli ground maneuver in southern Lebanon, particularly land expansion, would severely breach the U.S.-Iran memorandum declared in June, which included a ceasefire in Lebanon.