The IDF is preparing for the possibility that Hezbollah may enter the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan early Sunday morning. Since Israel began its offensive against Iran last week, the military has observed heightened alertness within Hezbollah. However, this has not yet translated into concrete movements or preparations for combat on the ground.
On Thursday, Hezbollah issued a warning stating that any attempt to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei “will have severe consequences.” The organization described such threats as “obscene” and “an insult to hundreds of millions of Muslim believers.”
That same day, Hatem al-Nabi, a commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, echoed the warning, declaring that the group “cautions the criminal America” that any direct involvement in the conflict would ignite a regional escalation and lead to “painful and irreversible blows.”
However, a Hezbollah source told Reuters last week that the group would not launch an attack on Israel in response to a strike on Iran. Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem addressed the possibility of the group’s involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict during remarks on Thursday, offering a deliberately ambiguous response. “We will act as we see fit in the face of this Israeli-American aggression,” he warned. Qassem praised Iran’s resilience in the face of Israeli attacks, claiming they had exposed Israel’s weakness, but added that this did not exempt Hezbollah from its responsibility to stand by Iran “in all forms of support.”
The assassination of Mohammad Khader al-Husseini, commander of Hezbollah’s Litani sector firepower, in the Shabriha area of southern Lebanon:
إسرائيل تعلن اغتيال محمد خضر الحسيني قائد منظومة النيران في قطاع الليطاني في حزب الله في منطقة شبريحا جنوب لبنان . pic.twitter.com/jUaMABmnVX
— kosovi (@nimses1010) June 20, 2025
Amid its wide-scale operations in Iran, the Israeli Air Force launched strikes on Friday against Hezbollah military sites and rocket launchers in southern Lebanon. The attacks were intended as a form of pressure to deter the Lebanese terrorist organization from joining Iran in launching attacks against Israel. According to the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen network, Israeli fighter jets also targeted weapons depots belonging to the group in the region.
These airstrikes came against the backdrop of three targeted assassinations carried out by the IDF in southern Lebanon over the past 24 hours. The operations were aimed both at enforcing the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah and at sending a clear warning against further escalation.
The IDF Spokesperson stated that “the terrorist organization Hezbollah is attempting to reestablish its presence at these sites. The presence of weapons and ongoing activity by the organization represents a clear violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon. The IDF will continue to act to eliminate any threat to the State of Israel.”
The IDF believes that Hezbollah’s entry into the conflict could, paradoxically, present a strategic opportunity for Israel. According to intelligence assessments, the organization is currently facing significant domestic challenges, and involvement in the war could further erode its standing—already weakened since its last major confrontation with Israel. In fact, some factions within the Lebanese government have begun openly calling for Hezbollah to disarm.
Following the launch of Israeli strikes on Iran, Lebanese government officials reportedly conveyed to Hezbollah that they do not support the group’s participation in the broader conflict. This internal pressure reflects growing concern in Lebanon over the potential consequences of the organization dragging the country into a wider war.
