Israel-Hezbollah conflict is heating up

Israel-Hezbollah conflict is heating up

Subject: IR

Sec: Places in news

Context:

A deadly rocket strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights has added to concerns that Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah could be sucked into a full-scale war – something they have both previously indicated they want to avoid but for which they have also said they are ready.

Why are they fighting?

• Hezbollah began trading fire with Israel, a day after the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked communities in southern Israel and sparked the Gaza war.
• Hezbollah, a Hamas ally, says its attacks aim to support Palestinians who are under Israeli bombardment in Gaza.
• The Gaza war has drawn in Iran-backed militants across the region. Hezbollah is widely deemed the most powerful member of the Iran-backed network, known as the Axis of Resistance.
• Hezbollah’s ideology is largely defined by conflict with Israel. It was founded by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in 1982 to fight Israeli forces that had invaded Lebanon that year, and waged years of guerrilla war that led Israel to withdraw from south Lebanon in 2000.
• Hezbollah deems Israel an illegitimate state established on occupied Palestinian lands and wants to see it gone.

Impact:

• Tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes on both sides of the border. Israeli airstrikes have pounded areas where Hezbollah operates in southern Lebanon and struck the Bekaa Valley near the Syrian border.
• Israel has also occasionally hit elsewhere, notably killing a senior Hamas commander in

Is escalation avoidable?

• A ceasefire there could help bring about a rapid de-escalation of tensions in southern Lebanon.
• Israel has also said it would prefer a diplomatic settlement that would restore security in the north.

Reasons for the Iran-Israel Conflict:

• Historical Context: Iran and Israel have had a tumultuous relationship since the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which transformed Iran from a close ally of Israel under the rule of the Shah to an Islamic Republic openly hostile towards Israel.
• Religious and Ideological Differences: Iran is an Islamic republic governed by Shia Islam, while Israel  is a predominantly Jewish state.
  • The religious and ideological differences between the two countries have contributed to mutual suspicion and animosity.
• Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Iran has been a staunch supporter of Palestinian causes, including backing militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, which are considered terrorist organisations by Israel.
  • Iran’s support for these groups and its calls for the destruction of Israel have heightened tensions.
• Geopolitical Rivalry: Iran and Israel are regional rivals vying for influence in the Middle East. They have conflicting interests in various regional conflicts, including the civil wars in Syria and Yemen.
  • Where Iran supports the Assad regime and Houthi rebels, respectively, while Israel opposes Iranian influence in these countries.