Lebanon’s army is stepping up security operations in Beirut and its suburbs, the Bekaa Valley and parts of the south amid U.S. and Western warnings that Hezbollah could join any renewed war between Israel and Iran, Lebanese political sources told Erem News.

The diplomatic warnings delivered to Lebanese officials cautioned that any military intervention by Hezbollah in a future regional conflict could trigger a broad and severe Israeli response, potentially exceeding the limits and red lines that have governed previous confrontations, the sources said.

Washington is seeking to prevent Lebanon from becoming another front if hostilities with Iran resume, they added.

The Lebanese army’s measures include reinforcing its deployment in the capital and surrounding areas, tightening surveillance at border crossings and along routes used to smuggle weapons and explosives, and cracking down on unauthorized armed activity. The operations are part of the government’s efforts to extend state authority throughout the country, according to the sources.

Army expands security operations

The sources said the Lebanese army command had received new directives to broaden its efforts to establish control on the ground, going beyond routine measures under the government’s plan to bring weapons under state control.

The expanded operations include more intensive surveillance and inspections and efforts to restrict illegal armed movements, they said.

The sources stressed that the measures stem from decisions by the Lebanese government, rather than direct implementation of U.S. instructions. They are, however, taking place amid mounting Western diplomatic pressure on Beirut to act swiftly, particularly to secure borders and prevent the movement of weapons and explosives.

U.S. pressure is not tied to a conventional deadline but instead focuses on securing rapid, tangible results on the ground, the sources said, amid concerns that Lebanon could be drawn into a wider conflict if war with Iran resumes.

Washington seeks to prevent a multi-front conflict

The recent diplomatic and military moves reflect U.S. and Israeli assessments that a renewed confrontation with Iran could erupt in the coming period and involve extensive strikes against sensitive sites and facilities, the sources said.

Washington and Tel Aviv want to reduce the likelihood of Hezbollah entering the conflict, allowing Israel to concentrate its military efforts on Iran rather than fight on several fronts simultaneously, according to the sources.

One scenario under consideration would involve dealing with the various fronts in sequence, beginning with Iran before reassessing the situation elsewhere in light of the outcome of military operations and developments on the ground, they said.

But the sources cautioned that such calculations offer no guarantee that Hezbollah would stay out of the fighting. The group could intervene if the conflict widens or Iran’s leadership suffers major attacks, they said, explaining the increasingly forceful diplomatic warnings delivered to Beirut.

Days earlier, Lebanese security and military sources told Erem News that Hezbollah had received fresh instructions from Iran to raise its military readiness to an advanced level in preparation for what Tehran considers an imminent regional confrontation.

The sources also reported that the group had recalled all its full-time members who receive monthly salaries and issued confidential internal orders directing them to report to new positions. The arrangements differ from those Hezbollah adopted during previous confrontations, they said.

Tampa meetings target urgent security arrangements

In parallel, the United States has pressed for meetings in Tampa scheduled for Oct. 20-22 to proceed, with the aim of advancing urgent security arrangements in southern Lebanon, the sources said.

Washington has pursued the effort through U.S. Central Command and its American mediator, they added.

The Lebanese side was told to prioritize military and operational issues and keep them separate from the political track, which remains stalled by disagreements with Israel, according to the sources.

Proposals under discussion include a pilot mechanism for direct inspections and verification in designated areas of southern Lebanon. The aim would be to confirm the removal of unauthorized military installations and prevent them from being used again, the sources said.

The proposed mechanism remains under discussion and is separate from the operations the Lebanese army is conducting in Beirut and the Bekaa Valley under its own authority and in line with government decisions, they added.

The meetings follow telephone calls by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Lebanese and Israeli officials as part of Washington’s efforts to advance security arrangements and prevent the conflict from escalating, the sources said.

## Beirut faces a difficult balancing act

The developments pose a complex challenge for Lebanon’s authorities, who must implement decisions to bring weapons under state control while preserving domestic stability as concerns grow over the consequences of another regional war.

According to the sources, Washington wants concrete steps to limit the ability of armed groups to operate outside state authority. But it has offered no guarantee that those measures would prevent Israel from expanding its military operations.

Whether Beirut can prevent Hezbollah from joining a potential conflict involving Iran remains uncertain. The group’s decisions are shaped by its own military and political calculations as well as broader regional developments, the sources said.

## Limits of state authority remain a central obstacle

Political researcher Mazen Bilal described the latest moves as an effort to reorganize Lebanon’s security landscape ahead of a possible renewal of regional hostilities.

The United States wants to reduce the risk of a multi-front war, while Israel is seeking to avoid tying down its forces in Lebanon if it launches extensive operations against Iran, Bilal said.

However, the Lebanese army’s increased deployment does not necessarily mean the state can control Hezbollah’s military decisions, he cautioned.

Securing border crossings and curbing unauthorized armed activity are fundamentally different from preventing a group with an independent military structure from deciding to enter a war, Bilal said.

Foreign pressure may push Lebanese institutions to accelerate security measures, but it cannot by itself resolve the problem of competing centers of security decision-making, he added.

Any successful security arrangements in southern Lebanon would also require reciprocal commitments, including an end to Israeli attacks and action to address the issue of occupied areas, Bilal said.

Without such commitments, security measures could prove fragile and come under pressure at the first sign of renewed regional escalation, he warned.