Hezbollah is rebuilding its arsenal with Iranian support as Lebanon is accused of failing to enforce ceasefire terms brokered last year. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has issued a warning to Beirut, stating that Hezbollah is ‘playing with fire’ and that Lebanon’s government must take action to dismantle the group’s weapons. The IDF is preparing for broader operations against Hezbollah, which has been accused of retaining heavy weapons and receiving financial support from Iran. A senior IDF officer stationed on the northern border told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview that Hezbollah remains fully armed and funded by Iran.
On Monday, the IDF confirmed it had killed two Hezbollah commanders in southern Lebanon. Muhammad Ali Hadid, a senior member of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, was eliminated in Nabatieh, while another operative was struck in Ayta ash Shab after being seen collecting intelligence on Israeli positions. The IDF said the terrorists’ activities violated the understandings between Israel and Lebanon and that the military would continue to operate to remove any threat to the State of Israel. The senior officer said the operations reflect Israel’s new, proactive security doctrine, which is a lesson learned from Oct. 7. ‘Until then, we sometimes looked the other way. That’s over. We’re not sitting and waiting for the next rocket.’ The officer also noted that the IDF’s 91st Division recently completed its largest exercise since the start of the war, designed to strengthen operational readiness for both defense and offensive operations along the Lebanese border.
According to the Haaretz newspaper, intelligence officials believe Hezbollah is rapidly rebuilding its arsenal with Iranian assistance. The group has partially restored its weapons supply chain through Syria and Iraq despite disruptions following the collapse of the Assad regime last year. The Trump administration has also expressed frustration over Beirut’s failure to curb Hezbollah. U.S. Special Envoy Thomas Barrack recently described Lebanon as ‘a failed state’ due to its ‘paralyzed government,’ and that Hezbollah pays its fighters more than the national army soldiers earn. In response to Israel’s preemptive strikes last week, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi urged his visiting German counterpart on Friday to ‘help pressure Israel to halt its attacks.’ ‘Only a diplomatic solution, not a military one, can ensure stability and maintain calm in the south,’ Raggi said, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA). He added that the Lebanese government ‘is gradually moving forward with its decision to bring all weapons under state control.’
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Thursday voiced ‘deep concerns,’ urging all parties ‘to fully commit to the cessation of hostilities.’ UNIFIL emphasized that extending state authority ‘is at the very core of Resolution 1701.’ Despite diplomatic criticism, Israeli commanders insist they will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild. ‘We won’t wait for another Oct. 7,’ the Israeli officer said. ‘We’re vigilant, we’re rebuilding, and we’re ready. The quiet we have now depends on Hezbollah’s choices — not on our willingness to defend ourselves.’ Overall, the situation reflects an ongoing struggle between Israel and Lebanon as both sides attempt to assert control over the region while navigating international diplomatic efforts.