Israel warns of major strikes if Hezbollah refuses to disarm

Israel is prepared to launch major strikes in Beirut and the Bekaa Valley unless Hezbollah surrenders its missiles and drones by the start of 2026.

By World Israel News Staff

The specter of a wider war resurfaced Thursday after the Hezbollah-aligned daily Al-Akhbar reported that American envoy Morgan Ortagus had conveyed a stark message to Lebanese officials: Israel is prepared to launch major strikes in Beirut and the Bekaa Valley unless Hezbollah surrenders its precision-guided missiles and armed drones by the start of 2026.

European diplomatic sources in Beirut were cited as saying Ortagus relayed the message during her recent regional meetings. Jerusalem has not publicly commented on the report, but the warning reflects long-standing Israeli concerns about Hezbollah’s expanding arsenal and Tehran’s continuing efforts to upgrade the group’s missile capabilities.

According to the same report, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani urged U.S. envoy Tom Barrack earlier this month to pressure Israel to halt its operations in Lebanon, claiming that any major strike against Shiite areas “would have consequences for the region, including Iraq.”

The American ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, also met with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and emphasized that diplomatic efforts with the Lebanese government run on a separate track from Israel’s war with Hezbollah. “Israel separates the negotiations with the Lebanese government from its war with Hezbollah. What is happening is an attempt to reach a solution,” he told Lebanese media.

Meanwhile, Israeli officials are increasingly skeptical that the Lebanese Armed Forces will meet the end-of-month deadline for the first stage of disarming Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, as agreed earlier this year by Washington and Beirut. According to remarks shared with i24NEWS, the IDF doubts the LAF has either the will or the capability to enforce the commitments.

Lebanese sources told Al-Akhbar that President Joseph Aoun’s decision to elevate Lebanon’s representation in the joint ceasefire oversight committee by adding a civilian member has not reassured Israel, nor has it eliminated the possibility of Israeli military action.

The report also suggested that Egypt’s initiative to dismantle Hezbollah’s presence south of the Litani River and secure commitments restricting the group’s weapons north of the river has lost momentum. Lebanese officials acknowledged privately that the plan has effectively stalled.

For Israel, Hezbollah’s precision-missile project remains a red line. After a year of escalating cross-border attacks, Israeli defense officials continue to warn that time is running out for diplomatic efforts, and that if Hezbollah refuses to pull back, Israel will act to remove the threat directly.