Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has been in contact with senior U.S. administration officials to urge Washington to prevent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from expanding Israel’s security zone in southern Lebanon, a political source directly involved in Lebanese-Israeli negotiations told Asharq Al-Awsat.

According to the source, Aoun is concerned that Netanyahu could consider expanding the zone as a way to strengthen his political standing and secure his return to the premiership.

The source said Aoun had “received U.S. assurances that Netanyahu would not be given the green light to expand the zone.” The president is also seeking to prevent Israel from using potential violations or other incidents as pretexts for attacks on the highlands between Iqlim al-Tuffah and Jabal al-Rihan.

The message is intended for Hezbollah, the source said. With direct dialogue between Aoun and the Iran-backed group suspended, the president has instead been consulting Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Hezbollah’s ally, to convey his concerns.

Hezbollah has continued to abide by the ceasefire and refrained from responding to Israeli attacks and violations, according to the source.

However, security and military officials have received information indicating that Hezbollah has taken a series of precautionary measures in anticipation of a possible Israeli attempt to expand the security zone by targeting the highlands between Iqlim al-Tuffah and Jabal al-Rihan. This has prompted efforts to relay the president’s message to the group, the source said.

The source ruled out Hezbollah initiating a breach of the ceasefire but said the group would have no choice but to defend itself if its positions came under attack.

Residents are concerned that the confrontation could spread into their communities north of the Litani River, particularly after Hezbollah established fortifications close to residential areas, the source added.

The source described the highlands as a critical defensive line in southern Lebanon, arguing that an Israeli attack there could force Hezbollah into what the source called an existential battle. Israel has established fire control over towns near Beaufort Castle, known locally as Qalaat al-Shaqif, north of the Litani River, overlooking areas to the south, the source said.

The interception of an explosives shipment in Dahr al-Baydar as it was being transported toward Beirut’s southern suburbs has also unsettled Hezbollah, according to the source. The group responded with media attacks against Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in an effort to justify why the truck had been heading toward its stronghold, the source said.

Hezbollah prepares for possible renewed war

Meanwhile, Hezbollah is preparing to rearm and rebuild its military capabilities in case tensions with the Israel Defense Forces escalate into renewed fighting, sources told the news outlet Al-Modon on Tuesday.

“If a large-scale war breaks out, it will reach Lebanon. Israel is waiting for any opportunity for military escalation against Hezbollah, as it is working to convince Washington of the need to renew the war against Iran. Just as Tehran is anticipating the possibility of war against it, Hezbollah is preparing and equipping itself,” the sources said.

According to Al-Modon, Hezbollah is taking Israeli threats seriously and responding to messages conveyed through diplomatic channels indicating that Israel does not intend to abandon military escalation but is waiting for the right moment.

Sources told the outlet that Hezbollah is anticipating a possible war and has used the extended ceasefire to rebuild its military capabilities in southern Lebanon, both north and south of the Litani River.

Israel says disarmament efforts have stalled

The reported preparations come as Israel expresses growing frustration with what it views as a lack of progress in dismantling Hezbollah’s military infrastructure and implementing commitments related to the group’s disarmament.

The Hebrew-language channel i24NEWS quoted a senior Israeli security official as saying that there had been virtually no progress on the ground.

Israel is directing and assisting the Lebanese army, including by providing intelligence, but Hezbollah’s infrastructure is not being dismantled as promised and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are failing to assert their authority, the official said.

Israel believes the Lebanese state has not fulfilled its obligations under the framework agreement concerning Hezbollah’s disarmament, according to the report. In response, Israel has sent messages to Lebanon warning that it could launch a large-scale military operation against Hezbollah, potentially extending its operations into new areas.

Israeli assessments suggest that the Lebanese army’s inaction stems either from fear of Hezbollah or from cooperation with the group by individuals within the military. Regardless of the reason, the outcome remains the same, the report said.

Despite its frustration, Israeli officials believe the current arrangement is not necessarily unfavorable to Israel. The agreement allows the IDF to act independently to eliminate perceived threats and push Hezbollah back, even as the Israeli military acknowledges that the group is trying to rebuild its capabilities and replenish its weapons stockpiles.

Israel could also consider imposing an air, land and sea blockade on Lebanon as a measure to punish Beirut for failing to disarm Hezbollah and prevent the group from joining a wider regional conflict, according to the report.

Foreign forces discussed, but no agreement in sight

Diplomatic discussions have reportedly included the possibility of deploying military personnel from Italy, Switzerland and Jordan to help remove Hezbollah’s weapons, Al-Modon reported.

However, the conditions for reaching an agreement remain absent. Hezbollah refuses to surrender its weapons, while the Lebanese army is unwilling to enter into a direct confrontation with the Iran-backed group, the outlet said.

Hezbollah is also closely watching developments in Yemen, where fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-led coalition forces has intensified, and is betting on how that conflict could affect the wider regional balance, the report added.