Lebanon has been on the edge since Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, increasing fears of a new conflict between Israel and Iranian-backed ally Hezbollah. Amid the raging conflict between Israel and Hamas, Israel has gathered lakhs of troops stationed along its northern border with Lebanon.
After more than 13 days of fighting, Lebanon’s army has blamed Israel for killing a member of a “journalist team” covering cross-border tensions in the country’s south.
Iran-backed Hezbollah and allied Palestinian factions have been trading cross-border fire with Israel daily since October 7 assault. Lebanon has blamed Israel for cross-border fire that has killed a Reuters journalist and several civilians near the border.
What is Israel Attacking Lebanon?
Lebanon’s Hezbollah has been exchanging fire with Israel across the border for days in the deadliest escalation since they fought a major war in 2006. Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has said it is ready to help when the time comes in the war between Israel and Hamas, which is also backed by Tehran.
Hezbollah also targeted several Israeli positions, in some cases using “guided missiles”. Israel, has started the retaliatory fire on two fronts: Gaza in the South and Hezbollah’s skilled guerrillas in the North.
Lebanon, already reeling from a deep economic crisis, could face intense Israeli airstrikes that destroy infrastructure and could kill large numbers of people. There is potential for international involvement even further as Israel is ready to launch a ground invasion in Gaza.
According to a report in CNN, Lebanon’s national airline carrier Middle East Airlines has parked five of its planes in Istanbul as a precautionary measure due to the escalating situation. Beirut’s international airport is one of the first places to be hit by Israel after the eruption of war between the two countries.
Why Countries are Issuing Warning?
US, UK and Germany advised their citizens to leave Lebanon amid escalating border tensions between Israel and Hezbollah over Israel’s war with Hamas.
The US embassy in Beirut said, “We recommend that US citizens in Lebanon make appropriate arrangements to leave the country; commercial options currently remain available.”
The British embassy said, “If you are currently in Lebanon, we encourage you to leave now while commercial options remain available.”
Germany’s foreign office also asked citizens to “leave Lebanon” in a statement warning that border clashes “can escalate further at any time” and advising its nationals to “use existing commercial travel options to leave the country safely”.
Many Arab and Western countries have already encouraged their nationals to avoid travel to Lebanon or leave, with Saudi Arabia on Wednesday urging its citizens to leave Lebanon “immediately” and Kuwait also warning against travelling there. France, Canada, Australia and Spain have also warned against travel to Lebanon.
What Is Hezbollah and Is It Powerful?
Hezbollah is Lebanon-based Shiite Muslim political party and militant group and enjoys the status of being “a state within a state.”
Founded in 1982 during the Lebanese Civil War, the militant group was driven by its opposition to Israel and its resistance to Western influence in the Middle East. It has been designated as a terrorist group by several countries including the United States.
While other groups in the subcontinent disarmed after Lebanon’s civil war, Hezbollah kept its weapons to fight Israeli forces that were occupying the predominantly Shi’ite south of the country. Years of guerrilla warfare led Israel to withdraw in 2000.
Hezbollah demonstrated its military advances in 2006 during a five-week war with Israel, which erupted after it crossed into Israel, kidnapping two soldiers and killing others.
Hezbollah’s Resistance to Israel
Hezbollah’s objective is to liberate southern Lebanon from Israeli occupation, which lasted from 1982 until 2000.
The militant group also fought a guerrilla war against Israeli forces occupying parts of Southern Lebanon. In 2006 Hezbollah and Israel fought a 34-day war that left more than 1,200 dead in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and 160 in Israel, mostly soldiers.
Hezbollah is in many ways linked to Hamas, as both the groups have common objective and emerged during the 1980s.
While Hezbollah is a Shiite group, Hamas is a Sunni group. Despite the differences in views and the Islamic sect, the two groups are long-time allies. Both the groups are related in their objective: resistance to the fight against Israel and both organizations have a military wing that functions outside the confines of the group.
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