Reports indicate that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is tightening its grip on Hezbollah in the Middle East, amid growing concerns of possible U.S. military action.
The Jerusalem Post reveals that this strategic adjustment is a preparation for potential military conflicts in the region. Analysts suggest that if the U.S. targets the Iranian regime, Hezbollah is poised to be “activated” in response.
Ross Harrison, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, explained to Fox News Digital that a perceived threat to Tehran could significantly raise the chances of Hezbollah being deployed against Israel and American interests in the region.
“Hezbollah would not be immediately activated unless the attack specifically targets the leadership of the Islamic Republic,” Harrison noted. “However, as part of a measured response, Hezbollah is likely to be utilized as a strategic asset.”
Harrison further elaborated that if Iran perceives an existential threat, it might abandon caution and fully deploy Hezbollah’s capabilities.
“As part of a graduated response, Hezbollah will likely be seen as an asset,” Ross Harrison, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, told Fox News Digital. (Fadel Itani/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
President Donald Trump previously gave Iran a deadline of 10 to 15 days to respond to a deal, raising questions about what steps Washington could take if Tehran fails to comply.
A new round of talks is now scheduled for Thursday in Geneva and expected to focus on Iran’s nuclear program, including uranium enrichment levels and sanctions relief.
“The decision-making circle in the White House is very small regarding Iran, with the president keeping a close hand on it all,” Harrison explained.
He added that any decision to directly target the Iranian regime would likely rest within Trump’s inner circle of advisers.
“Normally there is input from the National Security Council and the wider intelligence community,” Harrison said. “Since the decision-making process in the White House is opaque, it is hard to know how much of this is getting through.”
Another round of talks between the U.S. and Iran is slated for Thursday in Geneva. (Getty Images)
“If the U.S. is engaging with the Saudis and Emiratis, they are getting warnings about the possibility of this war spreading to the broader region, which would be deleterious to the U.S. and its allies,” he added.
Harrirson also warned that there was “potential for attacks to spread across the region, to Israel through direct Iranian ballistic attacks and via Hezbollah, and to the Gulf Arab states through Iran directly and possibly via the Houthis from Yemen.”
Regional media reports also suggest Iran’s ties with Hezbollah are strengthening. Sources told Al Arabiya and Al Hadath that IRGC officers have been rebuilding Hezbollah’s military infrastructure and managing strategic war plans.
The coordination follows changes within Hezbollah’s leadership, Harrison explained.
“Since the killing by Israel of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last year, ties and operational coordination have to some degree been reestablished,” he said.
“The IRGC has supported Hezbollah in Lebanon for decades,” he said, adding that efforts to reestablish ties appear to be occurring “particularly in light of the destruction of Iran’s nuclear sites last June.”
“Since the killing by Israel of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last year, ties and operational coordination have to some degree been reestablished,” Harrison said. (Marwan Naamani/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)
“Iran is trying to resurrect lost assets, such as its missile program and its connections to Hezbollah,” Harrison said.
“Hezbollah has been seen for decades by Iran as a deterrence asset against an Israeli or American attack. Since Hezbollah has its own interests, connected to but separate from Iran, whether its leadership will go all the way for Tehran is unknown,” he concluded.
The developments surrounding Hezbollah and the IRGC came as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed close ally Ali Larijani as the country’s de facto leader, according to reports.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
