Lebanon's government announced on Thursday a ban on all activities by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) within the country and instructed authorities to arrest and deport any of its members found there.

Information Minister Paul Morcos detailed the cabinet's decision during a press conference. He stated that relevant ministries and security agencies must verify the presence of IRGC personnel, intervene firmly to halt any security or military actions from Lebanese territory, and arrest them under judicial oversight for deportation. The measures also reinstated visa requirements for Iranian nationals to tighten border controls and prevent destabilizing activities.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam addressed criticisms of the government's stance, declaring that those who "dragged Lebanon into consequences we could have avoided" had committed a grave mistake. The move comes as Lebanon grapples with intense Israeli military operations targeting Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group long advised by IRGC members.

The decision follows a week of heightened tensions in the broader U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran, which began on February 28 with strikes killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top officials. Iran retaliated with missiles and drones against Israel and U.S. assets in the Gulf, while Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel, prompting heavy Israeli bombardments across southern Lebanon, Beirut's outskirts, and the Bekaa Valley.

Israel has conducted strikes near the Iranian embassy in Beirut and issued warnings for Iranian officials to leave Lebanon. Reports indicate dozens of IRGC officers departed Beirut in recent days. The Lebanese health ministry reported nearly 400 deaths from Israeli operations in the country.

Late Sunday, Israeli forces struck a hotel in central Beirut, killing at least four people in what the military described as a targeting of IRGC Quds Force commanders. The Quds Force oversees Iran's regional proxies, including Hezbollah. Funerals for Hezbollah fighters killed in eastern Lebanon's Bekaa Valley drew crowds praising resistance amid ongoing clashes.

The IRGC has maintained a presence in Lebanon for years, providing training, funding, and operational guidance to Hezbollah's military wing, especially intensified after recent escalations. This advisory role has drawn international scrutiny, with the group designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and others.

No immediate responses came from Iran or Hezbollah to Lebanon's announcement. The cabinet's actions signal an effort to assert sovereignty and distance the Lebanese state from Iranian influence during the war, though Hezbollah operates independently as a powerful political and military force within Lebanon.