Israel raises its threat level against Hezbollah to force its disarmament
Israel has conveyed messages to Beirut through Washington stating that it will expand its airstrikes to reach areas it had previously refrained from targeting at the request of the Trump administration.
The Israeli army submitted an operational plan to the political leadership to expand attacks against Lebanon’s Hezbollah, one month before the deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump for Hezbollah’s disarmament. According to Israeli media, the plan includes options to intensify strikes inside Lebanon if no progress is made on implementing the disarmament process.
Channel 13 reported that the plan was presented during a special meeting held with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, attended by several ministers and security officials.
Israel violates the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah on a daily basis. In force since 27 November 2024, these violations have caused 335 deaths and 973 injuries, according to data from the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
On 5 August, the Lebanese Cabinet decided that all weapons, including those of Hezbollah, must be placed under state authority, and tasked the Lebanese army with drafting and implementing a plan by the end of 2025.
However, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, has repeatedly stated that the group rejects this decision and demands the withdrawal of the Israeli army from all Lebanese territory.
Channel 13 added that Israel and Lebanon are awaiting the visit of Pope Leo XIV to Beirut (starting Sunday), along with the visit of Trump’s envoy to Lebanon, Morgan Ortagus. Meanwhile, Israeli security agencies report detecting new attempts to smuggle weapons into Lebanon.
In the same context, Kan, the Israeli public broadcasting network, reported that Israel conveyed messages to Beirut through the United States saying it would expand the scope of its strikes, including to areas it had previously avoided targeting at Washington’s request, due to what it views as the Lebanese army’s insufficient effort to disarm Hezbollah.
According to the channel, Israel had wanted to set a deadline for the Lebanese government to increase strikes but is still awaiting an American decision on the matter.
Lebanon faces strong pressure from Israel and the United States to disarm Hezbollah and place all weapons under state authority, especially since the end of the most recent war between Israel and the group about a year ago.
The channel noted that Ortagus is scheduled to visit Israel this week before travelling to Beirut to discuss the same issue.
It added that Israeli pressure, combined with Washington’s dissatisfaction with the Lebanese army’s performance, pushed the army to release unprecedented media material, allowing journalists to enter Hezbollah tunnels in the south to showcase its efforts toward implementing the disarmament plan.
According to a well-informed Western source cited by the channel, the tunnel presented had been discovered in recent months and likely appeared after the implementation of the disarmament plan approved last September began.
The channel added that the Lebanese army had previously refrained from releasing such information due to domestic sensitivities, but took this step to reduce international and American pressure.
No immediate comment was issued by Lebanese authorities or the army regarding the Israeli media reports.
However, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated on Thursday, coinciding with the first anniversary of the ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel: “We are the ones who set the deadline for implementing weapons control. The first phase should be completed by the end of the year.”
In early November, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced his country’s readiness to negotiate with Israel to consolidate the agreement and stop violations, but Tel Aviv has not responded.
Israel continues to challenge the ceasefire agreement in place since 27 November 2024 by maintaining its occupation of five Lebanese hills in the south, seized during the last war, in addition to other Lebanese areas occupied for decades.
The agreement was supposed to end the offensive launched by Israel against Lebanon in October 2023, which escalated into a full-scale war in September 2024, leaving more than 4,000 dead and around 17,000 injured.
