Israel prepares for renewed Lebanon attack if Iran war resumes

The Israeli military is making preparations for a potential new offensive in Lebanon should hostilities with Iran reignite, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Friday, raising concerns over a broader regional escalation.

The newspaper said the military is preparing for another round of fighting on the Lebanese front in the event of renewed hostilities with Tehran.

Israeli forces are continuing operations along the border with Lebanon, preparing military positions, and updating operational plans ahead of winter, it added.

The report said Israel’s security establishment was awaiting a US decision on whether to resume military operations against Iran, noting that the situation could change rapidly depending on developments in Washington.

According to the newspaper, the Israeli military has not detected unusual signs of increased US military preparations in the region, apart from the reinforcement of American forces in southern Israel and naval movements in the Arabian Sea.

The report also highlighted differences over the potential objectives of a renewed military operation against Iran.

While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to overthrow the Iranian government, some officials in Washington favor a swift, intensive military operation aimed at weakening Tehran and forcing it to negotiate from a disadvantaged position, the newspaper said.

It suggested that such an agreement could provide U.S. President Donald Trump with a political boost following his party’s large losses to Democratic candidates in Tuesday’s congressional midterm elections.

The newspaper also reported that disagreements over Iran had emerged before Israel’s parliamentary elections last month, with military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir clashing with Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz over their push for military action against Tehran.

Some Israeli officials believe Netanyahu is seeking to provoke another war with Iran to remain in power after his bloc failed to secure a parliamentary majority in the Oct. 27 Knesset elections, winning 53 of the 120 seats compared with 48 for the opposition bloc, according to the report.

Israeli media reports had earlier suggested that Washington was preparing for another military operation against Iran following the US midterm elections amid disagreements over the conditions for resuming negotiations.

Washington insists that Tehran make concessions on its nuclear program before negotiations resume, while Iran demands the removal of US sanctions, the release of frozen assets, and permission to export oil.

The U.S. and Israel launched a military offensive against Iran on Feb. 28, 2026, before a ceasefire was reached in April.

Fighting between Washington and Tehran resumed in July as diplomatic efforts to reach a settlement remained stalled.

On June 26, Lebanon and Israel signed a U.S.-mediated framework agreement providing for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory in exchange for the deployment of the Lebanese army and its assumption of security responsibilities.