“The moment that Hezbollah feels that the fall of the Assad regime is imminent – either as a result of the popular movement or of foreign military intervention – it will move quickly to take control of East and West Beirut,” the sources told Al Arabiya.

The source added that Hezbollah would receive support from the Free Patriotic Movement – a faction with eleven ministers in the Lebanese government – led by former Lebanese army commander Michel Aoun.

The source said that Hezbollah would seek to fortify itself in the nation’s capital in order to defend itself against the threat posed by Israel, which may feel emboldened enough following the fall of Assad to launch an offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon.