Lebanese officials have moved swiftly to discourage Hezbollah from becoming involved in Iran’s response to recent Israeli attacks, with the group providing reassurances that it does not intend to escalate the conflict, security sources told The National on Saturday.

“Officials moved quickly to urge Hezbollah not to drag Lebanon into another war, and the group has given reassurances that it has no intention of doing so,” one Lebanese security source said.

Despite the group’s assurances, concerns persist within Lebanon’s security establishment, particularly over Hezbollah’s possession of strategic, long-range precision missiles.

“We know those important missiles can only be launched on orders from Iran,” the source said. “The problem is, we don’t know whether they still exist or if they were destroyed by Israel. And if they do still exist, there’s a worry they could eventually be used and lead to a new devastating war with Israel.”

A second security official confirmed that Lebanese authorities had formally asked Hezbollah to stay out of the escalating confrontation and that the group had responded positively to the request.

“Many people have fled southern Lebanon and Hezbollah-controlled areas in Beirut out of fear of Israeli strikes and a wider escalation despite the assurances,” the second source added.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced Saturday that it had activated reserve units to reinforce forces along its northern borders with Lebanon and Syria amid growing fears of a wider regional conflict.

The Israeli army said it was preparing for “various scenarios,” after launching what officials described as the country’s largest-ever military strike against Iran on Friday. The military said it has called up the headquarters of the 146th Reserve Division, along with the Iron Fist and Etzioni reserve brigades, to bolster its presence near Lebanon. Additional battalions have been deployed to the Syrian border.