Hezbollah is dragging Lebanon into the war on Iran, but the militia is a shadow of the force it once was
Hezbollah is dragging Lebanon into the war on Iran, but the militia is a shadow of the force it once was
With Israel escalating its campaign against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia, Lebanon faces the prospect of being fully drawn into the expanding US and Israeli conflict with Iran—a scenario the fragile government has sought to prevent. The Israeli incursion into southern Lebanon, marked by intensified violence and air strikes, stems from Hezbollah’s retaliatory actions following the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
On Monday, Hezbollah launched missiles and a coordinated drone strike at an Israeli military outpost near Haifa, marking its first such incursion since late 2024. Subsequent drone strikes, as stated by Hezbollah, were directed at radar installations and command hubs at an Israeli airbase in northern Israel, citing ‘criminal Israeli aggression’ that had struck multiple Lebanese cities and towns. The attack aimed to underscore Hezbollah’s lingering capacity to act on behalf of Tehran despite its current diminished state.
“We will not allow the country to be pulled into new conflicts, and we will take all required steps to halt the aggressors and safeguard the Lebanese people,” said Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in a Monday X post.
Years of sustained Israeli assaults have eroded Hezbollah’s strength, resulting in the loss of top commanders, the capture of its southern strongholds, and the depletion of its once formidable missile stockpiles. The group is also grappling with rising political pressure within Lebanon. After the retaliatory strike over Khamenei’s assassination, the Lebanese government enacted a law banning Hezbollah’s military operations, aiming to curb additional Israeli retaliation—a symbolic yet strategic decision.
In Beirut, the Lebanese capital, Israeli surveillance drones patrol the skies, and red tracer bullets streak through the night as warnings of impending strikes. This city, already exhausted by conflict, has been hit hard in recent days, with multiple Israeli airstrikes targeting the suburbs of southern Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold. Israel claims one recent attack struck Hezbollah command centers and weapons storage facilities.
Meanwhile, Israel is mobilizing tens of thousands of reservists along the border, raising questions about a potential larger ground operation to dismantle the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia entirely. During a Tuesday morning press briefing, IDF Spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani clarified that the current deployment does not signal a full-scale invasion of Lebanon. “Our presence is limited to the immediate border area in a defensive posture to prevent attacks against Israeli civilians and to secure key strategic points,” Shoshani said. “This is not a maneuver or a large-scale operation—it is a tactical measure to ensure security and prevent infiltration attempts.”
Hezbollah’s diminished position highlights Iran’s growing exposure. The loss of its robust Lebanese proxy has removed a critical shield against direct Israeli action. Unlike before, the militia now finds itself targeted not for its strength, but for its weakened state, echoing Iran’s own vulnerabilities.
