How the US should respond to Hezbollah-Israel war risks

Published July 2, 2024 5:50am ET



Continuing to fight Hamas in Gaza, Israel is preparing for a separate war with the Lebanese Hezbollah. The Lebanon-based terrorist group and political entity has been engaged in a low-level conflict with Israel since the day following Hamas’s Oct. 7 atrocities in Israel. Hezbollah’s rocket and other weapons fire has forced tens of thousands of Israelis to evacuate their homes in northern Israel.

Yet far greater escalation may soon follow. Having imposed significant damage on Hamas military capabilities, Israeli leaders believe they have earned the breathing room to refocus their gun sights on Hezbollah. While the Biden administration is attempting to mediate a peaceful resolution, the status quo is plainly unsustainable. Secretary of State Antony Blinken identified the problem on Monday, noting that Israel’s “people don’t feel safe to go to their homes. Absent doing something about the insecurity, people won’t have the confidence to return.”

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