Israel has informed Washington of its plans for a limited ground operation in Lebanon, which is expected to begin soon.
The Washington Post reports this, citing an anonymous US official.
The upcoming campaign will be smaller than the military action against Hezbollah in 2006 and will aim to destroy the militants’ infrastructure along the border to eliminate the threat to Israeli border communities.
The recent assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader, by an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut was one of the largest losses in the organization’s history. Although Hezbollah has other high-profile commanders, the death of Nasrallah, who had led the group since 1992, has left it in a state of crisis similar to the loss of its core.
Since its creation in 1982, Hezbollah has faced threats, beginning with fighting with Israel in southern Lebanon that ended in 2000. The organization suffered heavy losses during the Second Lebanon War in 2006 and participated in the Syrian civil war on the side of Bashar al-Assad. However, under Nasrallah’s leadership, Hezbollah managed to maintain internal unity and influence.
Nasrallah gained support from Shiites outside Lebanon, leaving the organization without a clear successor of his caliber. It is unlikely that the new leader, Hashem Safi al-Din, will be able to completely replace Nasrallah in the eyes of his followers and maintain the organization at its previous level of influence.
Hezbollah’s participation in the conflict on the side of Hamas, which led to the opening of a second front against Israel, turned out to be a fatal mistake. This decision not only failed to provide significant support to Hamas, but also seriously harmed Hezbollah itself and Lebanon as a whole.
Now, after the loss of a key leader, Hezbollah’s future appears extremely uncertain. The organization faces serious internal problems: lack of financing, breakdown of bureaucratic structures and increasing risks for its members. Safi ad-Din will have to decide which path to choose: transform into a political force and integrate his weapons into the Lebanese army or continue the armed struggle, which could lead to further weakening of the organization.
Previously, Kursor reported that Hezbollah responded to Galant’s statements about the IDF’s invasion of Lebanon.
