(IntegrityPress.org) – Israel is preparing for the possibility of a full-scale war between itself and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group.
Hezbollah is an Islamist organization in Lebanon, with both a political wing that regularly wins seats in government and a strong militant wing. The militia aspect is well developed and is more powerful than the official Lebanese army. Hezbollah was created to fight Israeli forces during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon and has often been in conflict with Israel since.
Although Hezbollah was ordered by the UN to withdraw from the border area near Israel after the 2006 war with Israel, it refused to do so. The UN resolution has since not been enforced either by the UN or by Lebanon. Lebanon claims that Israel has also ignored the resolution and has violated its airspace since.
Following the October 7 massacre by the Palestinian Hamas forces and Israel’s retaliatory war, Hezbollah has ramped up its rocket attacks against Israel. Israel has fired rockets at Hezbollah military bases, as well as targeting leading Hezbollah officials elsewhere. The conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of civilians in both nations being evacuated from their homes on either side of the border, with no clear plans yet for them to return.
Israeli authorities are preparing for the possibility of an even larger conflict with the Lebanese militia. The IDF confirmed in a Sunday, June 2, statement that it had undertaken military exercises in “readiness for a campaign in the northern area”, referring to the north of Israel where the border with Lebanon lies. Tal Beeri, from a think tank specializing in northern Israel security, said that “no one wants this war” but that it was inevitable. Around half of polled Israelis say they would support a war with Hezbollah, but only if it came as a last resort.
Hezbollah has promised a conflict “without limits” if a full-scale war should break out and has so far refused to withdraw from the border area. It is currently unclear how Lebanon’s wider government or its official army would act in the face of war.
Hezbollah has many supporters but also has been criticized by some of its countrymen who fear that its actions will provoke a war that will result in terrible civilian casualties. Whereas many of Israel’s newer homes have been built with bomb shelters included, Lebanese homes do not have such facilities. Lebanon also does not have the air defense systems that Israel has, such as the Iron Dome, and its official army has limited defense infrastructure due to recent budget cuts.
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