Lebanon braces as Iran accelerates oil exports and Israel issues stark retaliation warnings.
A senior figure within Hezbollah has reportedly indicated that the group would not automatically intervene if the United States conducts limited strikes on Iran, while warning that any direct attack on Ali Khamenei would constitute a red line.
According to comments cited by AFP, the official suggested that Hezbollah may calibrate its response depending on the scope of American military action. However, the message drew a firm boundary around Iran’s Supreme Leader, signaling that escalation involving Tehran’s top authority could trigger broader regional consequences.
The development comes amid heightened tensions across the Middle East. Lebanese officials were quoted as saying they received indirect warnings from Israel that it would respond forcefully if Hezbollah joins any confrontation between Washington and Tehran. The warnings reportedly included potential strikes on strategic civilian infrastructure, including Beirut’s international airport.
At the same time, reporting from Bloomberg indicated that Iran has been accelerating oil shipments, loading tankers at an increased pace in recent days. Analysts interpret the surge in exports as a possible attempt by the Islamic Republic to safeguard revenue streams ahead of potential military escalation or additional sanctions.
The situation reflects a fragile balance across multiple fronts. Hezbollah remains one of Iran’s most powerful regional proxies, and its calculations could significantly influence whether any US–Iran confrontation remains limited or expands into a wider regional conflict involving Israel and Lebanon.
As diplomatic channels remain tense and military preparedness increases, regional actors appear to be positioning themselves for a range of scenarios, from contained strikes to broader escalation that could reshape the security landscape across the Middle East.
