Israeli Attacks on Hezbollah Threaten to Escalate Tensions in the Middle East

On September 20th, Israeli airstrikes in Beirut killed several high-ranking members of Hezbollah including Ibrahim Aquil, a top commander. After the attack, Lebanon’s Ministry of Health reported at least 14 dead and 66 injured, 9 of whom are in critical condition. It did not reveal whether this toll counted any commander or member of Hezbollah. This strike comes after pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah exploded on Tuesday and Wednesday, killing 37 and injuring thousands. It is widely believed Israel was behind this attack but has yet to confirm or deny its involvement. Hezbollah and Israel exchanged attacks the entire weekend, damaging homes, forcing thousands to evacuate or hide in bomb shelters, and closing schools on both sides of the border. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared Israel’s operations would not end until it was safe for evacuees from the north to return home. Both Israel and Hezbollah have threatened to increase their attacks despite international calls for de-escalation, heightening concerns that this recent escalation would make the border conflict more widespread. 

Friday’s strike in a densely populated area of Beirut’s southern suburbs was part of “an extremely dangerous cycle of violence with devastating consequences. This must stop now. With the region on the brink of an imminent catastrophe, it cannot be overstated enough: there is NO military solution that will make either side safer,” said U.N Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine-Hennis Plasscharet. 

Both Israel and Hezbollah’s actions are reprehensible. While Israel believes it is doing what it considers is best to eliminate threats to its national security and citizens, attacks on Hezbollah should aim to reduce civilian casualties as much as possible. Targeting Hezbollah leaders in the middle of a densely populated city is not an effective way to achieve this goal. Hezbollah’s use of terrorism as a political tactic is incredibly ineffective in helping it achieve its goals. Despite “putting pressure” on Israel to end its siege in Gaza through constant attacks, it has not actually influenced or forced Israel to comply. If these two groups continue escalating their attacks, the region could descend into full out war. The root cause of this current conflict is the October 7th attack and the war in Gaza. These events destabilized the region and created ongoing security dilemmas that cannot be resolved through further military action. Israel’s goal of eliminating Hamas and Hezbollah is nearly impossible; when civilians die in their rocket strikes, they are incentivizing more people to join terrorist organizations like Hezbollah to fight them, exacerbating cycles of extremism and terrorism. The only way to reach a peaceful resolution is through a ceasefire that would stop the violence in Gaza and along the Israel-Lebanon border. It’s up to the international community to facilitate dialogue between all parties involved to end these conflicts, stabilize the region, and reduce civilian casualties as soon as possible. The situation must be de-escalated to prevent further loss of life and damage to necessary civilian infrastructure. It is only through diplomatic dialogue and reasonable agreements that we can start to break cycles of extremism and terrorism that have plagued the region for so long. 

According to the BBC, Hezbollah is a Shia Muslim organization classed as a terrorist organization by many countries. It’s Lebanon’s most powerful political and military organization, better armed than entire nations. The current conflict between the two started the day after Oct. 7th; Hezbollah claims its attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. It’s the worst conflict escalation between Israel and Hezbollah since their last war in 2006. This conflict has been mostly contained to the area immediately surrounding the border, but this week’s attacks have increased the likelihood that it could widen. Around 60,000 people have been evacuated from northern Israel since then due to Hezbollah’s attacks. 1,200 Israelis were killed on October 7, with 250 more taken hostage. The subsequent war in Gaza has killed more than 41,300 Palestinians and destroyed the enclave. 

Related