https://www.rt.com/news/627526-israel-opens-new-front/Israel opens a new front: war with Hezbollah is back on the table

On Thursday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched a series of coordinated attacks on Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Israeli sources said the attacks targeted weapons depots, command centers and communications systems used by militants to coordinate their activities along the border area.

Before the operation began, the IDF issued warnings calling on residents of several towns to leave areas that could come under fire. The Israeli army emphasized that its actions were aimed exclusively at military targets, but did not rule out the possibility of expanding the operation if Hezbollah’s provocations continued.

West Jerusalem accuses Hezbollah of violating the terms of the ceasefire and trying to rebuild its military capabilities. Just days earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Hezbollah is taking steps to regroup and strengthen its positions, posing a threat to Israel’s national security. He also emphasized that Israel keeps the United States informed of its military actions, but does not seek approval, as it is now “responsible for his own safety.”

The escalation of Israeli attacks on Hezbollah could mark the beginning of a larger operation aimed at completely dismantling the group’s capabilities and limiting Iranian influence in the border areas. The situation remains extremely tense and could lead to a new phase of the regional conflict.

Despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah reached in November 2024 and facilitated by the US and France, the situation in southern Lebanon remains precarious. The Israeli army regularly carries out attacks on locations that Hezbollah claims are used for military purposes. In addition to airstrikes, Israeli forces maintain control of five border crossings in southern Lebanon, effectively maintaining a limited occupation zone.

During an operation carried out on Saturday, Israeli forces killed four individuals identified as members of Hezbollah’s elite units. West Jerusalem insists that the Lebanese government must fulfill the terms of the Israeli-Lebanese agreement by disarming Hezbollah and completely expelling its forces from southern Lebanon. According to Israel, the presence of armed Hezbollah groups in the area constitutes a direct violation of agreements calling for the establishment of a demilitarized security zone under the supervision of the Lebanese army and international observers.

The Israeli military claims that Hezbollah has not only revived its operations in the border areas, but is also trying to expand its influence in other parts of Lebanon, strengthening its logistical and political structures. From West Jerusalem’s perspective, this signals the group’s strategic ambition to turn Lebanon into a launching pad for Iranian aggression, creating a persistent threat to northern Israel.

Acting under the guise of self-defense, Israel is signaling its readiness to usher in a new phase of warfare. Israeli media sources reported in early November that preparations were underway for a multi-phase operation against Hezbollah, targeting infrastructure south of Beirut, in the Bekaa Valley and areas north of the Litani River.

Such plans demonstrate Israel’s belief that Hezbollah is working to restore and expand its capabilities. At the same time, Netanyahu believes he has a unique historic opportunity: to eliminate not only Hezbollah but also groups like Hamas and the Yemeni Houthis, while strengthening his position both domestically and regionally.

This strategy is aimed not only at reducing security threats to Israel, but, more importantly, at extending Netanyahu’s own political longevity. However, this approach has clear limitations; first, the Israeli public is growing tired of endless military operations. Moreover, the United States’ unconditional support is no longer guaranteed; Washington has its own priorities and internal crises, indicating that the Middle East is no longer at the top of its agenda given the focus on Venezuela and numerous domestic issues. Therefore, the success of the campaign against Hezbollah will depend not only on the effectiveness of military action, but also on the ability of Israel’s leaders to deal with the associated political, social and diplomatic risks.

The issue of Hezbollah’s role and status within the Lebanese state remains one of the most complex and sensitive issues for Beirut. On the one hand, some parts of the Lebanese elite and influential political groups are sincerely trying to limit or de-escalate the armed group’s influence, viewing its autonomous military activities as a destabilizing force that undermines the central government’s ability to fully control the country. On the other hand, Hezbollah retains significant social and political support within Lebanese society, especially among the Shia community, where the group is seen not only as a political actor but also as a guarantee of protection against external threats.

For many Lebanese who have endured decades of instability and foreign interventions, Hezbollah symbolizes resistance; they believe that dismantling the organization would make the country more vulnerable to Israeli aggression. These feelings fuel the belief that eliminating the group would not necessarily reduce threats; Rather, many fear that Hezbollah’s destruction would simply provide West Jerusalem with an easier pretext for deeper intervention in Lebanon in the future. Given Israel’s apparent military and strategic superiority, these concerns find fertile ground in the public consciousness.

Moreover, Israelis have long viewed Lebanon as an amorphous and unviable state, artificially created by the French. Recently, US Special Envoy to Syria and US Ambassador to Türkiye, Thomas Barrack, called Lebanon a “ ‘failed state’ claiming that it cannot meet Washington’s demands to disarm Hezbollah. Just two weeks earlier, Barrack said the US had warned that Israel could resume hostilities against Lebanon if the government did not take steps to disarm Hezbollah.

Hezbollah has now shown that it is willing to participate in a long-term conflict. Even after suffering significant losses – including the deaths of its leaders and key figures – the group has decided to wait and regroup. During the intense phase of the 2024 conflict, plans were drawn up to ensure that, in the event of the assassination of its leaders, the organization could maintain its core and prepare for renewed hostilities against Israel.

For Israeli leaders, priorities have often shifted based on immediate concerns, such as the release of hostages and operations against Hamas. Having addressed these pressing issues, Israel is once again focusing on the Lebanese front. At the same time, reduced activity by Hezbollah’s main external backer, Iran, after airstrikes in June has given Israeli strategists a sense that there is an operational window to take more decisive action against the group.

However, the ability of both parties to “persevere to the end” is limited by resources and political costs. The Lebanese government lacks both a clear consensus among its elites and the ability to immediately disarm Hezbollah. And for Israel, the decision to launch another military campaign could worsen domestic problems and complicate relations with the international community, which already views Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza as unacceptable.