Israel, with the help of the White House, has passed a sharp message to the Lebanese government in recent days, according to Lebanese media outlets with ties to the government. The message warns that if Hezbollah attacks Israel on Iran’s behalf in a renewed war, Israel will take unprecedented action inside Lebanon with a green light from President Donald Trump.
According to the reports, the message went through American diplomatic channels and was unequivocal: Israel and the United States will not tolerate Hezbollah intervention in any scenario of renewed fighting with Iran.
If Hezbollah acts against Israel or the U.S. in such a scenario, the reports say, the Trump administration would give Israel a clear green light to strike Beirut. Israel would also be cleared to push the IDF-controlled “Yellow Zone” further north, even beyond the Litani River.
The warning comes amid intense regional discussion and military preparations pointing to a possible swift return to fighting.
The reports also follow U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s unannounced visit to Israel on Monday. According to Axios, he met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ovda Air Base amid U.S.-Israeli discussions about potentially resuming major combat operations against Iran.
Lebanese government officials responded to the reports in the Arab press. “The tension and regional instability, and their possible implications for the Lebanese arena, were at the top of discussions held at the diplomatic level, amid concerns over the possibility of fighting on other fronts spilling over into the Lebanese reality,” they said.
The message echoes recent Israeli warnings. Last week, Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened that if Hezbollah joins Iran in attacking Israel, it “will be dealt a heavy blow and lose additional territory in southern Lebanon, in the areas of Nabatiyeh and the Litani, which will become part of Israel’s permanent security zone.” Katz also warned that “more than 1 million Shiites will become displaced in Lebanon.”
Before the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February, Israel similarly warned Lebanon that it would strike hard, including at civilian infrastructure such as Beirut’s airport, if Hezbollah entered the war. Hezbollah opened fire on Israel days after that war began, triggering a months-long Israeli campaign in Lebanon.
