December 28, 2023 | Haaretz
As Hezbollah Escalates | Israel Should Consider a Ground Invasion of Lebanon
Hezbollah is just as dedicated to Israel's destruction and to October 7-style atrocities as Hamas, but more lethal. Its increasing missile and drone attacks, and Lebanon's passivity, justify broad retaliation by Israel in self-defense
December 28, 2023 | Haaretz
As Hezbollah Escalates | Israel Should Consider a Ground Invasion of Lebanon
Hezbollah is just as dedicated to Israel's destruction and to October 7-style atrocities as Hamas, but more lethal. Its increasing missile and drone attacks, and Lebanon's passivity, justify broad retaliation by Israel in self-defense
Excerpt
No one is saying so out loud, but Israel and Lebanon have been at war since October 8, with Hezbollah once again dragging an unwilling Beirut into Iran’s long battle against the Jewish state.
In July 2006, Hezbollah – without Beirut’s approval – attacked Israel unprovoked and sparked the destructive Second Lebanon War. When the war ended, the UN Security Council responded by adopting Resolution 1701 which called for the banning of militias from the Israeli-Lebanese border region and end the lawlessness that gave Hezbollah free rein.
David Daoud is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) focusing on Hezbollah, Israel, and Lebanon issues. He also holds a JD with a concentration on international law and the laws of armed conflict. He can be followed on Twitter @DavidADaoud