A worrying signal for Israel – Hezbollah has stepped up activity in southern Lebanon

Hezbollah is rebuilding its presence in southern Lebanon in three villages that, under agreements, should come under the control of the Lebanese army after the IDF withdrawal. The militants are operating covertly, avoiding clashes. A Lebanese politician criticized the state's inaction. An additional factor is the group's financial support from Iran.

The terrorist group Hezbollah has begun to rebuild its presence in southern Lebanon, in areas that, under existing agreements, should come under the control of the Lebanese army after the withdrawal of IDF forces. This was reported by the Israeli television channel KAN. Militant activity has been recorded in three villages: Farun, Sarifa, and Zutar al-Gharbiya. The group is operating on a limited scale, using the civilian population as cover, and is engaged in intelligence gathering and damage assessment, avoiding direct clashes. A Lebanese politician opposed to Hezbollah stated that the return of militants to areas being vacated by Israel demonstrates the need to disarm the group before the withdrawal of Israeli troops. An additional factor remains financial support from Iran: Reuters reported that Tehran allocated $200 million to Hezbollah to aid displaced residents of Lebanon — the first such payment since the start of the war. The funds were transferred through intermediaries who charged a commission four times higher than usual due to sanctions risks. The group's renewed activity calls into question the effectiveness of the US-Lebanese agreements.