Iran Warned US of Major Response if Israel Attacks Hezbollah-Held Lebanon Ridge, Sources Say
BEIRUT, LEBANON — WEB DESK: Iran warned the United States last month that it would respond forcefully if Israel launched a full-scale military offensive against the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, where Iranian military personnel are reportedly positioned alongside Hezbollah fighters, three officials briefed on the message told Reuters.
The reported warning was conveyed to Washington around mid-August, with two regional officials saying Oman acted as an intermediary. Tehran warned that a major Israeli assault on the ridge could trigger a large-scale Iranian response, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The report adds another potential flashpoint to an already volatile regional conflict, but several key elements — including the precise content of Tehran’s message, the presence of Iranian forces on the ridge and whether Washington persuaded Israel to delay an assault — remain disputed or have not been independently verified.
Why Ali al-Taher Ridge Matters
The Ali al-Taher ridge, about 15 kilometres from the Israeli border and rising roughly 600 metres above sea level, overlooks a strategically important section of southeastern Lebanon. Lebanese security sources say Hezbollah has developed underground command facilities and weapons storage sites inside the mountainous area.
Hezbollah publicly acknowledges controlling the ridge and says it would resist an Israeli advance, although it has not disclosed details about its underground infrastructure.
The Israeli military has described the underground complex as a strategically important Hezbollah facility and has made the ridge a major operational focus. Israel has already taken territory south of the position as part of its operations inside Lebanon.
Iranian Military Presence Is Source-Reported, Not Confirmed
Two officials briefed by Tehran told Reuters that more than a dozen members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were positioned alongside Hezbollah fighters at Ali al-Taher, including at least two senior officers.
That claim requires careful attribution.
Hezbollah declined to confirm or deny whether Iranian personnel were at the site, while an Israeli military assessment cited by Israeli media reportedly concluded that no IRGC personnel were present there. Reuters said it could not independently verify the military situation on the ridge.
The presence of Iranian forces should therefore be reported as a claim from officials familiar with Tehran’s message, rather than as independently established fact.
White House Disputes Part of the Account
A third official with direct knowledge of the reported message said it was delivered around mid-August and claimed that subsequent US pressure led Israel to postpone storming Ali al-Taher.
The White House disputed that account.
Asked by Reuters about the reported Iranian message and whether Washington had pressured Israel against attacking the ridge, a White House official said the account was “not accurate.”
Iran’s permanent mission in Geneva, the Pentagon and Oman’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately comment to Reuters, while the Israeli military declined to comment on the reported warning.
This means it would be inaccurate to report as established fact that the US stopped an Israeli attack following Iran’s warning.
Israel Appears to Be Applying Pressure Around Ridge
Rather than launching an immediate full-scale ground assault, Israeli forces have been applying military pressure around Ali al-Taher.
Sources told Reuters that Israel has sought to isolate Hezbollah and the reported Iranian personnel inside the ridge, including by disrupting attempts to deliver food and water. Israel has also carried out strikes around access points to the underground site.
An Israeli military official previously said Hezbollah fighters had become trapped underground without food or water.
A Lebanese source briefed by Hezbollah, however, said the group’s fighters could still reach their positions from the ridge’s northern side. Reuters could not independently establish the situation inside the complex.
The competing accounts underscore the difficulty of independently assessing battlefield conditions at Ali al-Taher.
Hezbollah Warns Major Assault Could Restart Full-Scale War
Hezbollah has warned that a large Israeli attack on the ridge would represent a return to full-scale war.
The group has indicated that such an offensive could trigger missile attacks against northern Israel.
Iran’s reported warning similarly raises the possibility that a battle over a relatively confined piece of southern Lebanese territory could trigger a much broader confrontation involving Tehran.
Iran has already demonstrated its willingness to respond directly to Israeli actions during the current regional conflict, while fresh US-Iran exchanges this week have further increased the risk of escalation. The United States carried out another wave of strikes against Iranian military targets this week, and Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against US-linked positions in the region.
Israeli Operation Remains Possible
Despite Tehran’s reported warning, an Israeli attempt to capture Ali al-Taher has not been ruled out.
A Lebanese source briefed by Hezbollah and a senior Lebanese security official told Reuters that an Israeli military operation against the ridge remained possible in the coming weeks.
The ridge has become one of the most contested positions in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict because of its elevation, underground infrastructure and proximity to areas occupied by Israeli troops. Reuters separately reported that Israel considers it central to efforts to expand its buffer zone, while Hezbollah views retaining the position as strategically and symbolically important.
For now, there is no confirmed announcement that Israel has decided to launch a full-scale assault, and Tehran’s reported warning should likewise not be interpreted as confirmation that Iran has ordered an attack on Israel.
The immediate significance of the Reuters report is that Ali al-Taher has emerged as a potential trigger point where an Israeli-Hezbollah battlefield confrontation could escalate into another direct Iran-Israel exchange.
