Lebanon is bracing for a potentially decisive week that could shed light on Israel’s military intentions amid heightened fears of a full-scale conflict that many warn the country cannot withstand.

The recent escalation in Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley has reignited concerns that Tel Aviv may be preparing for a broader operation targeting Hezbollah’s infrastructure, as U.S. and Egyptian envoys step up shuttle diplomacy aimed at defusing tensions.

U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus is expected in Beirut on Monday after meetings in Israel, where she accompanied Defense Minister Israel Katz on a tour of the Lebanese border. Katz vowed that Israel “will continue to defend the northern areas against any threat,” while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel does not need anyone’s permission to strike foes in Gaza or Lebanon.

Ortagus will attend a meeting of the committee overseeing the cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel on Wednesday, though it remains unclear whether her visit will include political consultations.

Her arrival comes as Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel prepares to visit Beirut to reaffirm Cairo’s support for President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam amid growing instability. Diplomatic sources cited by Annahar newspaper said his mission carries a dual message: warning Israel against expanding its operations in Lebanon and urging Iran to rein in Hezbollah by transferring its weapons to the Lebanese army.

The flurry of diplomacy coincides with the countdown to Pope Leo XIV’s planned visit to Lebanon at the end of November. While both Vatican and Lebanese authorities insist the visit remains on schedule, sources in Beirut and Rome have voiced concerns that a regional flare-up could force a postponement.

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s internal politics remain mired in gridlock. Opposition blocs, including the Kataeb Party and Lebanese Forces, said they would boycott Tuesday’s parliamentary session in protest of Speaker Nabih Berri’s refusal to include a draft law amending the electoral law on the agenda. The amendment seeks to grant Lebanese expatriates the right to vote for all 128 parliamentary seats, rather than being restricted to a separate overseas constituency.

Kataeb MP Elias Hankach said his bloc would disrupt quorum if the same conditions that led to their previous walkout persist.

“If the situation remains unchanged, we will take all measures necessary to block the session,” he told Voice of Lebanon radio.

He accused Berri of “overstepping every constitutional and legal boundary in his position as Speaker,” urging him to fulfill his duties and “put the bill to a vote.”

“A large number of MPs will vote in favor of this law,” Hankach said. “We will use every democratic means available to ensure expatriates can exercise their full voting rights.”