October 12, 2023 | The Dispatch
Will Iran Goad Hezbollah Into War with Israel?
An attack on the north could put the IDF in a multifront war against two Iran-backed terror organizations.
October 12, 2023 | The Dispatch
Will Iran Goad Hezbollah Into War with Israel?
An attack on the north could put the IDF in a multifront war against two Iran-backed terror organizations.
Excerpt
On Wednesday, air raid sirens forced thousands in northern Israel into bomb shelters. It turned out to be a false alarm, but the fears were warranted. While Israel contends with Hamas to the south, any escalation in tensions between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah all but guarantees the IDF would be fighting a multifront war against two Iran-backed terror organizations in the coming days and weeks.
More than 1,200 Israelis have been killed by Iran-backed Hamas terrorists since Saturday, the bloodiest episode in Israel’s history. The Wall Street Journal reported—and the Washington Post confirmed—that the regime in Iran funded, trained, and equipped Hamas, reportedly approving this operation a week ago. There are now reports that Iran is pressuring Hezbollah to attack Israel from Lebanon, attempting to engage Israel in a multifront war against two parts of Iran’s terror network.
Hezbollah is the most formidable, claiming to have 100,000 fighters. While Israel believes the number is significantly lower, many Hezbollah fighters have been battle-hardened over the past decade fighting in Syria. It is also the most heavily armed nonstate actor in the world. Its arsenal of 150,000 rockets in southern Lebanon—most of which are buried under civilian infrastructure—includes hundreds of precision guided missiles (PGM’s) that can hit a target with an accuracy of within 10 meters.
Enia Krivine is the senior director of FDD’s Israel Program and National Security Network. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.