Hezbollah has started evacuating headquarters and military equipment from the Dahieh district in Beirut amid fears of escalating war with Israel, Saudi channel Al-Hadath reported on Friday.
The report, which has yet to be confirmed by other sources, cited individuals stating that Hezbollah also advised residents living in buildings housing senior organization officials, as well as those in nearby buildings, to relocate to "safer places."
Simultaneously, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based opposition group, reported that pro-Iranian militias in the Deir ez-Zor region of eastern Syria, bordering Iraq, brought in two truckloads of weapons from Iraq early this morning. The shipment, escorted by two vehicles from the "Hezbollah Brigades in Iraq" (a pro-Iranian militia), arrived a day after the militias raised their alert level to maximum.
International efforts to prevent an escalation continue, with UN envoy to the Middle East Tor Wennesland stating on Friday that he has had "critical discussions" in recent days with regional actors, including Lebanon, Egypt, and Qatar, to reduce tensions.
"I emphasized the urgency of addressing the rising risk of serious escalation, which poses a significant threat to regional stability," Wennesland said. "We reviewed ongoing mediation efforts and explored ways to prevent the conflict from spilling over. It is crucial that we act decisively and cooperatively to address immediate threats and lay the foundation for sustainable peace. I will continue my active engagement with all relevant parties to support peace and stability in the region."
These reports come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following threats from Iran and Hezbollah to retaliate for recent assassinations in Tehran and Beirut. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei declared that Israel had brought upon itself the "severest punishment" for allegedly killing a senior official hosted in Iran and, according to The New York Times, has ordered a direct attack on Israel. Nasrallah also threatened a response that would make Israelis "weep" over the recent killings, though the nature of the retaliation remains unclear.
Despite Jerusalem's assumption that the Iran-led attack will be large and coordinated with its Middle Eastern proxies, AFP reported this morning that another scenario considered by the Iranian "axis of resistance" is separate attacks.
A source close to Hezbollah told the French news agency that during a summit in Tehran yesterday between Iranian representatives and their proxies, "the next steps" were discussed. "Two scenarios were considered: a simultaneous attack by Iran and its allies, or separate responses from each side," said the source, who was briefed on the meeting.
Meanwhile, a security official told the Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar that the response to Haniyeh's assassination would not come solely from Iran but would be a joint effort with all members of the axis.
"We are currently consulting and coordinating with our allies in the axis," the official said. Nasrallah, in his speech yesterday, also mentioned two possible forms of retaliation – a coordinated response with Iran or separate responses from axis members. "Because they have chosen to fight with everyone, they do not know where the response will come from," Nasrallah said. "The response will come, whether it is widespread or simultaneous," he added, emphasizing that Hezbollah and the axis members are preparing "a real response, not a show of reaction."