According to the American source, if Iran doesn’t agree to dismantle Hezbollah’s military and security infrastructure, Israel will launch a major offensive against Lebanon. This demand reportedly came directly from Netanyahu and has now been added to the ongoing nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, held weekly in Muscat, Oman.

The official revealed that the U.S. military has activated its Akrotiri Air Base in Cyprus to support a potential Israeli military operation. In a future war, Israel is expected to shut down Beirut's Rafic Hariri Airport. As a result, the maritime route between Lebanon and Cyprus—especially between Jounieh and Larnaca—has been reopened, reportedly to enable civilian evacuations. Lebanese media suggested the U.S. is behind this move, since entry to Cyprus requires a visa and there's little tourism between Beirut and Larnaca.

The Israeli-American push for war reflects a shared assessment: the last conflict failed to meet its objectives. A full military defeat of Hezbollah is now seen as essential—something the Lebanese Army cannot achieve, according to Israeli sources.

A U.S. official said last week that Israel believes the mission in Lebanon won’t end until Hezbollah is disarmed—either through an Iranian commitment to Washington or through an Israeli military campaign. This campaign would include land, air, and sea operations, focusing on the Bekaa Valley, Beirut, and especially the Dahiyeh district.

Washington, the source added, supports the Israeli military option if the “Resistance Axis” insists on confrontation and Tehran refuses to withdraw Hezbollah’s military presence from Lebanon.

With Israel’s military buildup, the reopening of the Jounieh-Larnaca route, and U.S. bases in Cyprus activated, the region is asking: Is a major war just around the corner?