Israel Has Turned the Page on Its Elections and Resumed Escalation…
After a lull during the electoral campaign, Israel resumed its airstrikes in southern Lebanon from early morning, in a wave of attacks stretching from Nabatieh al-Fawqa and Kfar Tebnit to Tallousa and Baraachit, while drones buzzed over Tyre and across the skies of the South.
The renewed military activity comes as political and diplomatic negotiations remain deadlocked, while domestic files are left waiting. Lebanon’s trajectory, whether toward escalation or calm, remains tied to the wider regional picture.
Across the region, two parallel paths are unfolding: negotiations led by mediators and threats warning of a possible return to war.
In anticipation of the coming days, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued military and strategic directives to senior commanders of the armed forces. The instructions reportedly called for an immediate and direct response to any threat, without geographical restrictions, as well as an update to the list of military targets.
The Supreme Leader also reiterated the concept of the “Unity of Fronts,” describing it as a decisive factor in shaping the new political and security order in West Asia.
This was the key message in the Supreme Leader’s remarks. Between two electoral milestones, and at a crossroads between escalation and a possible settlement, his words left little room for interpretation: the decision rests with Tehran, based on the message that “the command is mine” across arenas linking Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Iraqi militias, and the Houthis in Yemen.
In other words, the message is that negotiations over these arenas must be conducted with Iran, not with anyone else, given its allies, supporters, and affiliated groups across the region.
On the diplomatic front, an Iranian delegation headed to Doha to continue the talks. This comes as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had carefully examined a message sent by US Vice President JD Vance and discussed it in high-level meetings. He did not disclose Iran’s final position, but described Washington’s attempt to open a broader channel for dialogue and understanding as a positive step.
Lebanon also featured in Araghchi’s remarks, as he reiterated the call for an end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.
Meanwhile, amid reports about Trump’s plans to launch military strikes immediately after the midterm elections, the US president brought the various conflict zones together under the banner of peace. In his latest remarks, he said a major peace agreement involving Russia, Ukraine, and Iran could be reached during the G20 summit.
His Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, followed up by saying Washington remained open to a diplomatic solution with Iran.
The region stands on the brink of war, while a window for negotiations remains open, surrounded by complex calculations.
Two opposing paths are racing to shape the next phase, as mediation channels move between Tehran and Doha. These developments suggest that, behind the public escalation, a diplomatic track remains alive and its doors have not yet closed.
According to Al Jadeed’s information from Washington, political discussions and US assessments suggest that, if reached, a deal could boost the Republicans’ chances in next week’s elections. If no agreement is reached, however, Trump could