According to the report, information was presented stating that Hezbollah is working to smuggle short-range missiles from Syria into Lebanese territory, in conjunction with the reconstruction of destroyed headquarters and military sites in the south. It was also noted, according to security sources, that the party has begun to recruit and redeploy local elements in the villages bordering Israel, with the aim of establishing its presence on the ground despite political and military pressures.
The report quoted officials who participated in the meeting as saying that a series of security meetings were held in recent days to follow developments on the northern front, amid increasing warnings of “Hezbollah’s growth” despite the blows it has received in recent months.
The report also indicated that the US envoy to Lebanon, “Tom Barak,” issued a clear warning to the leadership of the Lebanese army, giving them until the end of November to change the status quo in southern Lebanon. He was quoted as saying: “If there is no tangible change by the end of the month, Israel will be free to resume attacks, and the United States will understand that.”
The channel adds that Israel continues its preparations for the possibility of a new round of fighting with Hezbollah lasting several days in the north of the country, in light of escalating Israeli threats to resume military operations if the Lebanese government does not take clear steps to restrict the party’s movements and disarm it.
The report concludes by noting that the Israeli security establishment is betting that American and international pressure on the Lebanese government, in addition to field threats, may lead to internal changes that weaken Hezbollah’s grip on the south. However, Israeli officials did not hide their fear that any escalation would lead to an open confrontation along the Lebanese-Israeli border.
