Fighting between Hezbollah and Israel escalates, concern over wider war grows. 

As fighting continues to escalate along the borders of Israel and Lebanon, concern begins to erupt over a full-blown conflict in the area between the Israeli Military and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Regular puffs of smoke from missile intercepts could indicate that there is no sign of the conflict coming to an end, leading to growing fears that the war in Gaza could turn into a wider one involving other parties. As concerns erupt within the international community, US special envoy Amos Hochstein was sent by US President Joe Biden to carry out diplomatic duties in the region, while secretary of state Anthony Blinkens warned Israeli officials to avoid further escalation. 

The Border War between Israel and Hezbollah

Since the eruption of the war in Gaza in Oct.7, Hezbollah has been firing rockets at Israel in solidarity with Hamas. The fighting has forced tens of thousands Israelis to flee their homes in Israel, where political pressure against government inaction has been building up in regions like Haifa. Meanwhile in Lebanon, tens of thousands of residents have been forced to flee due to Israeli strikes in the South. Reports claim that a Hezbollah fighter identified as a commander of the groups operations in the Jouaiyya area was killed by Israeli strikes on thursday. Although Hezbollah acknowledged the killing, they did not identify them as the commander. After a brief pause on Eid, Hezbollah continued firing towards Israel, sending dozens of missiles. 

Threats by Hezbollah on Israel

In a televised address on Wednesday, the Hezbollah chief made certain stark threats against not just Israel, but its neighboring EU member Cyprus. The group’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, claimed that “there will be no place safe from our missiles and our drones”, in the event of a full-fledged war. Nasrallah also threatened Cyprus, accusing the Cypriot government of allowing Israeli forces to use its airports and bases for military deals, allegations that Cyprus denies. In Lebanon, Nasrallah’s comments have been preparing people for a wider war. The statements were made in an address at a memorial event for a senior official killed in an Israeli airstrike last week, following which Hezbollah released its largest volleys of drones and rockets at Israel in retaliation. 

Concerns over a Wider War

Israeli commanders have been holding training exercises and assessments in anticipation for what the IDF claims to be “a reality where we will have to fight on a different scale in the north.” As fighting continues in Gaza since Oct. 7, Israeli officials have assessed that the end of the main phase of fighting is only weeks away. This week, the army’s northern command said that it had approved operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon. For the past month or so, political pressure against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been swelling, from citizens protesting against inaction towards hostages, cabinet members resigning, and from the international committee over civilian atrocities committed in Gaza. 

He has warned that Israel would turn “Beirut into Gaza ” in the event of a wide war, but such an escalation could put pressure on Israel’s missile defense system which has so far intercepted most of the missiles from Hezbollah. 

Meanwhile, dozens of Israeli towns are deserted, with over 60,000 residents being moved to temporary accommodation. Around 90,000 Lebanese residents have also fled the area.