Lebanon is facing a dangerous new phase of escalation in the south, with Israel tightening its grip around the strategic Ali al-Taher hill and Hezbollah refusing to hand over its underground tunnels to the Lebanese army, a senior Lebanese official told Nidaa al-Watan.

The official said Israeli military operations had continued for 24 hours as part of what he described as a “gradual escalation”, following what he called Israel’s major decision to seize Ali al-Taher and progressively encroach on the surrounding area.

“We are facing a dangerous phase, and no one knows where things are heading, particularly after Hezbollah’s negative response and its refusal to hand over the tunnels to the Lebanese army,” the official said.

The comments come as Lebanon faces mounting pressure to assert state authority over territory and weapons, while Washington pushes for a political solution to the long-running dispute over Hezbollah’s arsenal.

Washington seeks end to illegal arms

The Lebanese official said U.S. references to a possible meeting with Hezbollah should be understood primarily as pressure on the Lebanese state rather than a shift toward direct engagement with the group.

Washington's broader objective, he said, was to resolve the issue of illegal weapons and dismantle Iran-backed armed networks in Lebanon and across the region.

At the same time, Tehran was not in a position to support Hezbollah militarily in Ali al-Taher or elsewhere and would not go to war on the group’s behalf, the official said.

Against that backdrop, Najad Issam Fares, vice president of the American Task Force on Lebanon, said a delegation that had recently met with a range of Lebanese officials had found a serious willingness to assume responsibility for the country's future.

But the main U.S. concern, Fares said, was the pace at which Lebanon was implementing the steps expected of it.

“This is a golden opportunity — a diamond, in fact. Time is not on our side; it is working against us, while we recognize the difficult circumstances Lebanon is going through,” Fares told Nidaa al-Watan.

Negotiations remain the preferred option

Fares said negotiations between Lebanon and Israel were continuing and that the normal back-and-forth of diplomacy should not be interpreted as a breakdown in the process.

He pointed to President Joseph Aoun’s approach to the negotiations, recalling the Lebanese leader’s question: “Give me another solution.”

Fares said negotiations remained the best and safest option for Lebanon.

He also argued that President Donald Trump’s interest in Lebanon was unusually strong compared with previous U.S. administrations. Lebanon now occupies an exceptional position in Washington, he said, perhaps one not seen since the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Dwight Eisenhower.

Trump is seeking to secure successes across the region and sees Lebanon as an important part of that effort, Fares said.

U.S. seeks to strengthen Lebanese army

Fares also emphasized Washington’s role as the Lebanese army’s principal international backer and largest source of funding.

The American Task Force on Lebanon is working in Washington to increase assistance to the military, he said.

The delegation met with the U.S. military attaché at the American Embassy in Beirut, where it heard praise for the Lebanese army’s performance and the level of cooperation between the two sides.

On Hezbollah’s weapons, Fares said the focus remained on finding a political solution. Washington was prepared to support the Lebanese state, he said, and Lebanon could not afford to miss the current opportunity.

“The United States wants to see Lebanon at peace and secure, and moving forward again with reconstruction,” he said.

Aoun speaks with Qatar’s emir

President Joseph Aoun spoke by phone with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and thanked him for his supportive positions toward Lebanon and for efforts aimed at promoting security and stability.

In Jordan, King Abdullah II received Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal, in the presence of Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II.

Jordan’s state news agency Petra reported that Abdullah reaffirmed during the meeting at Al Husseiniya Palace Jordan’s support for Lebanon and its efforts to safeguard its security and sovereignty.

The meeting was also attended by Jordanian Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maj. Gen. Yousef Ahmed Huneiti and King Abdullah’s director of office, Alaa Batayneh.

Beirut sends firm message to Tehran

At the same time, Beirut sent a carefully worded but firm message to Tehran amid efforts to define the future of relations between the two countries.

Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry welcomed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s stated desire to establish good relations with the Lebanese government, while stressing that Beirut had “always sought, and continues to seek, the best possible relations with all countries, including Iran.”

The ministry said Lebanon had consistently approached issues with rationality, openness and a constructive spirit and expected all its counterparts to adopt the same approach.

It also emphasized a central principle of Lebanon’s foreign policy: “Relations between states pass through their constitutional and legitimate institutions.”

The ministry drew a direct parallel with diplomatic practice in Iran, saying that just as “Iran, or any other host country, would not accept the Lebanese ambassador bypassing its official institutions to deal with parties or factions independently of them, Lebanon does not accept this either.”