A stern ultimatum was issued by Iran on Thursday as a top military official warned the Israeli military to evacuate Lebanese territory entirely or face a catastrophic, forced retreat.
The declaration came from Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' elite Quds Force, during a broadcast shared by Iranian state media outlets.
“You must leave all of Lebanon," Qaani said, adding, “This land is a field of steadfastness and resistance, not a playground for occupiers."
He further cautioned that a voluntary exit is Israel's only alternative to a disastrous military routing, stating, “If you do not withdraw of your own accord today, tomorrow you will be forced to flee in humiliation and defeat."
The Quds Force plays a foundational role in managing Tehran's network of regional non-state allies, chief among them being Hezbollah. Iran provides extensive financial backing, advanced drone and missile tech, and strategic oversight to the Lebanese terrorist group, viewing it as a cornerstone of its forward deterrence strategy against Israel.
This public military threat coincides with intense diplomatic maneuvering behind the scenes, where Iran has aggressively demanded that Lebanon be integrated into the core parameters of its ongoing war-ending negotiations with the United States.
Following the recent drafting of an interim memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Washington and Tehran, Iranian diplomats have adamantly insisted that the agreement's mandate for a comprehensive ceasefire directly hinges on an absolute Israeli military withdrawal from Lebanese soil, a stipulation that Israeli leadership has fiercely resisted as it attempts to maintain a southern security buffer.
Qaani was appointed head of the Quds Force in 2020, succeeding Qassem Soleimani, who was eliminated in a US drone strike near Baghdad International Airport.
Last June, reports emerged that Qaani was eliminated by Israel during Operation Rising Lion in Iran.
However, several weeks later, a video posted by Iran’s Tasnim news agency showed Qaani among the crowd at an event in the Iranian capital celebrating what Iran views as its “victory" over Israel.