Hezbollah has refused to allow the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL forces to inspect a military site near the city of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, following a recent Israeli airstrike that targeted the area using bunker-busting munitions.
The site, known as Ali al-Taher, reportedly includes reinforced underground tunnels. It was bombed as part of what the Zionist regime described as a warning tied to international calls to disarm Hezbollah, especially north of the Litani River, under UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The occupation threatened further military escalation if Hezbollah’s strategic infrastructure continues to operate in the area.
Prior to the strike, the Monitoring Committee informed the Lebanese Army of the need to raid the site. However, Hezbollah rejected the demand, asserting that the location falls outside the designated ceasefire zone, based on its interpretation of the agreement. This refusal has raised concerns of similar future incidents, which could trigger more Israeli aggression.
In parallel, Israel is lobbying for international support to expand UNIFIL’s mandate. The proposed changes would allow UN forces to operate without prior coordination with the Lebanese Army and to use force if necessary, following a rise in confrontations targeting peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.
The issue is expected to be a focal point in the upcoming visit of U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus to Beirut later this month. Her visit will reportedly evaluate Lebanon’s commitment to asserting full state control over its southern territories.
This visit coincides with talks of a possible four-party summit in Saudi Arabia, set to bring together Donald Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, and Syrian President Ahmad al-Shar’a.
Internal Dialogue Over Arms
Domestically, dialogue continues between the Lebanese Presidency and Hezbollah over the party’s arms and the search for a comprehensive national defense strategy. President Aoun has emphasized that internal dialogue is the only path forward, rejecting confrontational approaches.
In a related development, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met with Hussein al-Khalil, political aide to Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, to discuss Lebanon’s reconstruction strategy following Israeli assaults.
Al-Khalil conveyed Hezbollah’s deep concerns over the World Bank’s proposed conditions, which may exclude border villages from receiving reconstruction aid. He warned that this could pave the way for a de facto buffer zone, aligning with Israeli interests.
Prime Minister Salam responded by stressing the government’s commitment to ensuring inclusive aid for all Lebanese areas, particularly the resistance-supporting south. He advocated for the creation of a transparent Reconstruction Fund to pool international donations and grants, emphasising reform as a means to restore donor confidence in Lebanon’s sovereignty and recovery.
