Senior Iranian military officers are actively directing combat operations in southern Lebanon, according to a report Monday by Saudi-owned Al Arabiya, citing an Israeli security source.

The report says several Iranian officers are operating in the Beaufort Castle area near Har Tzaher, where they are playing key roles in managing the fighting and coordinating Hezbollah’s military operations.

According to the Israeli source, the presence of the Iranian officers has made the area strategically important for Tehran. The source claimed one of Iran’s primary objectives in pushing for a halt to Israel’s ground offensive was concern for the safety of those officers and the possibility that advancing Israeli troops could capture or kill them.

The report aligns with comments made by a senior IDF officer to Israeli media, who said Hezbollah maintains strategic Iranian-built assets in the area, including command centers and significant fire-control capabilities.

The officer said the IDF considers the destruction of those facilities essential to eliminating the threat to communities along Israel’s northern border. He added that once operations are completed, the military intends to reveal the full extent of the Iranian-built infrastructure uncovered in the area.

The report comes as diplomatic efforts continue to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon, with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun holding talks Monday with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, senior White House adviser Jared Kushner, and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

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