Israel and Hezbollah — a powerful Iran-backed paramilitary group in Lebanon — have been at odds for decades, but both have stepped up cross-border attacks on each other since the war in Gaza began.
Deadly attacks in Lebanon this week, in which explosives were planted in devices carried by Hezbollah fighters, have drawn sharp attention to the long-simmering conflict.
Israel’s defense minister says a “new era” of war is beginning and “the center of gravity is moving north,” referring to the country’s border with Lebanon. Hezbollah’s leader says the unprecedented attacks “crossed all red lines”.
How we got here:
A “support front” for Gaza: Hezbollah is part of a larger coalition of militias led by Iran spanning Yemen, Syria, Gaza and Iraq that have been involved in escalating conflicts with Israel and its allies since the war with Hamas began.
The coalition said it would continue to attack Israeli targets until the war in Gaza ends, rebranding itself as a “support front” for the Palestinians, as a senior Hezbollah leader described it.
Assassination of Major Leader: After months of talks, tensions rose in July when Israel said it had killed Hezbollah’s most senior military commander in Beirut, Lebanon.
Israel has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on the Israeli-occupied town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, with Hezbollah refusing to take responsibility for its commander, Fuad Shukrib.
In retaliation, Hezbollah launched hundreds of drones and missiles at targets in Israel in August. Israel has denied that any critical targets were hit, and no evidence has been made public to contradict that denial.
Displaced residents: An increase in cross-border fighting has forced people to flee their homes in both northern Israel and southern Lebanon.
On Tuesday, Israel announced a new war aimed at sending tens of thousands of northern residents back to their homes near the border. Officials and residents from the northern region have been pressing the Israeli government for a return.
According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, more than 100,000 people have been displaced from southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s arsenal: Hezbollah is believed to be the most armed non-state group in the world. While Israel’s military might is no match, the group’s increasingly sophisticated arsenal has the potential to inflict significant damage.
But Hezbollah has been backed into a corner by Israel’s recent attacks, and its credibility is now threatened by the most well-equipped, well-trained and highly disciplined of Iran’s proxies.
