Hezbollah's Attacks on Israel: A Look at the Ongoing Conflict in the Region

Israel is once again under attack. The Hezbollah terror organisation, without any provocation from Israel, initiated on October 8, one day after the horrendous massacre perpetrated by Hamas, a large wave of attacks against Israeli cities and villages in the northern part of Israel.

Till today, Hezbollah’s 11-month assault has included 10 000 projectiles launched towards Israel from within Lebanon, killed 49 people including 12 children and wounded 375, burned close to 200 thousand square metres of forests, displaced 70 000 Israelis from their homes in Northern Israel, creating a humanitarian and security crisis that cannot be ignored.

On September 20, the IDF targeted Hezbollah’s top commanders holding a high-level meeting in which they planned a large-scale terror attack against Israeli communities, one that would mirror the horrific massacre of October 7. Israel acted to prevent this attack and protect its citizens from an imminent threat.

It should be noted that Israel has no territorial dispute with Lebanon. The reason for Hezbollah’s assault is to join its sister proxy Hamas. The head of Hezbollah, arch-terrorist Nasrallah, has stated that his attacks against Israel will continue as long as the battle in Gaza continues, where 101 innocent Israelis are still being held hostage in Hamas’ tunnels.

In the face of Hezbollah’s onslaught, and in an attempt to return the tens of thousands of Israeli citizens to their homes, Israel is doing what any sovereign nation would: defend the safety and security of all its citizens, Jews and Arabs alike. Every state has the duty to protect its people from assaults originating from enemies beyond its borders. Israel is fulfilling this obligation within the framework of international law and will continue to do whatever is necessary to ensure its citizens can return safely to their homes.

The international community is increasingly aware of Hezbollah’s destabilising role in the region. Designated as a terrorist organisation by numerous countries, including the United States, member states of the Arab League, Germany, Australia and the United Kingdom, Hezbollah took an active part in the massacres committed by the Syrian regime and is a focal factor of chaos in the region. To effectively restore stability in the Middle East, it is crucial that the global community unites in officially recognising Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation.

It doesn’t stop there. Hezbollah’s relentless offensive is driven by Iran, the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism. Iran’s fingerprints can be found not only on Hezbollah but also on Hamas, the Houthis, and a network of Shia militias across the Middle East, particularly in Syria and Iraq. Iran’s proxies are actively working to spread violence and mayhem. The Iranian regime has long sought to destabilise the region, imposing its radical ideology through violence to reshape the Middle East.