In anticipation of a possible Israeli or US strike, Hezbollah has significantly intensified its military and security preparations under the close supervision of IRGC personnel.
Hezbollah is currently being overseen by officers from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), rather than its traditional Lebanese leadership, according to Saturday reports from Arab media outlets.
In anticipation of a possible Israeli or American strike, Hezbollah has significantly intensified its military and security preparations under the close supervision of IRGC personnel who have recently arrived in Lebanon, sources close to the group told Al Arabiya and Al Hadath.
This shift in leadership comes amid growing concerns that both Hezbollah and Iran are bracing for an imminent military confrontation with Israel and the US.
Sources told Al Arabiya and Al Hadath that the IRGC officers are not only supervising the rebuilding of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure but are also personally managing and executing strategic war plans.
Hezbollah terrorists march in the funeral of senior terrorist Haytham Ali Tabatabai, others killed in IDF airstrike, in Beirut, November 24, 2025; illustrative. (credit: REUTERS/MOHAMED AZAKIR)
IRGC offering instructions and guidance to Hezbollah ahead of potential conflict with US, Israel
These officers are reportedly holding regular meetings with Hezbollah operatives across Lebanon, offering direct instructions and guidance in preparation for a potential military conflict, which many analysts believe is inevitable.
A recent Israeli airstrike on Friday, which resulted in the deaths of several Hezbollah terrorists, was seen by both Tehran and Hezbollah as a possible precursor to larger Israeli operations targeting Iran’s regime and its regional proxies, reports said.
One such meeting reportedly took place at a Hezbollah command center in the Beqaa Valley, which housed a missile unit that was targeted in Israeli airstrikes on Friday night. Sources close to Hezbollah have speculated that the Israeli attack was merely the beginning of a broader Israeli military campaign against the group.
A Hezbollah command center that was struck by the IDF on Friday, February 21, 2026. (CREDIT: ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES)
Political pressures in Lebanon
Back in Lebanon, political leaders are growing increasingly worried about the country’s role in the escalating regional tensions, according to Arab reports. Influential political figures are calling for an official stance of neutrality, urging the government to prevent Hezbollah from dragging Lebanon into a wider conflict, according to a report by Lebanese newspaper Nidaa Al-Watan.
Amid growing pressure on the Lebanese government to act decisively and distance Lebanon from the intensifying crisis, Israel has stated time and time again that it will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild and pose a threat to Israel’s northern border.
On Wednesday, 91st Division Commander Brig.-Gen. Yuval said the IDF would stay “on the attack” in Lebanon.
“I am here to tell you that we are preparing for various scenarios. We have operational plans to act immediately, and our forces are distributed along the entire border and deep into the territory,” he said.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has called for international intervention to immediately halt Israeli airstrikes, describing such attacks as a hostile act aimed at undermining diplomatic efforts. Aoun warned that Lebanon’s involvement in the conflict would have devastating consequences for the country.
Israeli strikes designed to send a clear message to Iran’s proxies, IDF says
The IDF has since confirmed that recent airstrikes in Lebanon targeted Hezbollah positions, including long-range missiles equipped with warheads. Israeli media reported that these strikes, which were carried out from naval vessels, were designed to send a clear message to Iran’s proxies: Israel will continue to target Hezbollah and Hamas positions with naval forces if airstrikes are not viable or effective enough.
The IDF later reported that several Hezbollah missile unit members were killed in airstrikes on eastern Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley. According to an IDF statement, the attacks struck three separate Hezbollah sites in the region, causing significant casualties among the group’s ranks. The strikes are believed to have disrupted Hezbollah’s efforts to enhance its military readiness for operations against Israel, according to Arab sources.
Hezbollah has since stated that eight of its operatives died in the Israeli airstrikes, identifying three of its commanders, Ali Zeid al-Moussawi, Muhammad Ibrahim al-Moussawi, and Hussein Yaghi, as being among those killed.
Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.