Iran Warns US of Attack Over Lebanon Ridge

The Government of Iran warned the United States in mid-August that it would launch a large-scale attack if Israel conducts a full-fledged offensive on the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon. The ridge is a contested site where Hezbollah is believed to have established an underground command center and weapons stores. Regional officials report that over a dozen members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, including two senior officers, are stationed there with Hezbollah fighters, though the Israeli military assesses that no Iranian forces are present.

While a ceasefire was announced in June under the Islamabad Agreement, the Israeli military has identified the ridge as a primary operational focus and has attempted to besiege the facility by blocking food and water deliveries. Hezbollah stated that any large-scale Israeli assault on the site would result in a return to full-blown war and missile strikes on northern Israeli communities.

A White House official denied reports that the United States pressured Israel to avoid attacking the ridge. The warning from Iran was reportedly delivered to Washington via the Government of Oman.