Israel-Hezbollah Conflict: A Proxy War Unfolding?

Soumya Jinaga

The ongoing conflict between Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group created in reaction to Israel’s invasion in 1982, and Israel has significantly escalated since October 2023. The fighting intensified in September 2024 with a surge in Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah’s military infrastructure and retaliatory rocket attacks from the group.  Israel’s recent ground incursion into southern Lebanon, initiated on October 1, 2024, has led to conflict between Hezbollah fighters along the border.

Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has been using the Lebanese border as a front to challenge Israel’s military presence. On September 23, 2024, Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon led to significant casualties and displacement of Lebanese civilians, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

The conflict is closely tied to the broader tension between Israel and Iran, with Hezbollah serving as a proxy for Iranian interests in the region. This creates a higher risk of further escalation to a larger regional conflict, potentially drawing in other countries such as Syria and even the US and Russia.

A continued military escalation could destabilize Lebanon further, worsening its already severe economic and political crisis and also potentially leading to a refugee crisis. As for Israel, a prolonged conflict stretches its military resources, especially with its conflict with Palestinian militant groups such as Hamas. As airstrikes and retaliatory attacks continue, the humanitarian impact grows, and the potential for this conflict to spill beyond Lebanese borders increases by the day. Each attack raises the chances of a wider, more devastating war with horrifying consequences for both parties.

This conflict serves as a reminder that the Middle East’s disintegration can rapidly reshape global politics and economics, fluctuating and sensitizing oil prices and turning local battles into flashpoints that echo far beyond their origin.