No visible presence for Israel on Ali al-Taher as Lebanese official says Hezbollah, US talking
An Associated Press photographer who visited the village of Kfar Rumman on Friday saw no sign of Israeli military presence on the strategic Ali al-Taher hill, a day after Israel announced seizing "operational control" of the ridge.
The hill, topped with a shrine to a Muslim scholar, sits north of the Litani river, which has become the de facto boundary of the area captured by Israel since its latest war with Hezbollah began in early March.
Israel has been conducting military operations around Ali al-Taher since July, said Nasser Khdour, a Middle East researcher at the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED, a U.S.-based group that tracks conflicts around the world.
Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qmati told a Lebanese podcaster in late August that the group’s fighters were repelling attempts by Israeli troops to take Ali al-Taher. But he, and others, downplayed the significance of the site should Israel take it.
“Ali al-Taher is important, but if it is lost it does not mean the end of Hezbollah,” Qmati said.
In mid-August, Israel carried out a series of airstrikes on southern Lebanon that it described as retaliation for a Hezbollah drone attack on Ali al-Taher that seriously wounded three soldiers. The Israeli strikes, which killed 11 people, including women and children, were the deadliest since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire went into effect in late June.
On Aug. 27, Israel carried out a series of airstrikes, killing one person and wounding six, after the military said Hezbollah fired two explosive drones at Israeli troops in the area. Hezbollah did not claim responsibility for any of the attacks.
Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri told an Arab TV station in late August that the Lebanese Army was ready to take over Ali al-Taher. He accused Israel of blocking the army due to its own political considerations ahead of Israeli national elections on Oct. 27.
“The problem is not in the Lebanese Army’s readiness but in Israel’s stance,” he said. Lebanese and Israeli officials are set to meet for negotiations in Rome later this month.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah, which has always refused to speak directly to the U.S., appears to be changing its policy after the major setbacks it has suffered during its wars with Israel since 2024.
A Lebanese official told The Associated Press that indirect contacts are going on between the U.S. and Hezbollah, but refused to give any details. He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
The U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, said recently that Washington is ready to speak with Hezbollah if the group agrees to disarm.
Still, Hezbollah is not likely to take any move forward regarding talks with the U.S. without a green light from its main backer, Iran.
While talks with the U.S. over their war have stalled, Iran has sought guarantees that Israel will halt its attacks on Hezbollah as part of any permanent deal.
The capture of Ali Taher would open the way to Nabatieh and also lead to the nearby Iqlim al-Tuffah and Rihan Mountain, where Hezbollah has been building up its presence since the late 1990s.
Israeli leaders have repeatedly pledged to leave troops in Lebanon and threatened to escalate military pressure until Hezbollah disarms.
“Israeli control of the area is an operational and military setback for Hezbollah,” said Khdour of ACLED. He said clearing these sites helps Israel protect towns in the northern part of Israel, and increases pressure on Hezbollah.
“This will strengthen Israel’s position in any future negotiations over its withdrawal,” said Khdour.
Source: Associated Press
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