BEIRUT. A significant number of fighters from Iran-backed groups across the Middle East stand prepared to join Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group if the simmering conflict with Israel escalates into a full-blown war. Officials from Iran-backed factions and analysts confirm this readiness.
Recent clashes along Lebanon’s northern border with Israel have intensified, fueled by the Gaza Strip’s Hamas-controlled fighters launching an assault on southern Israel. In a further escalation, an Israeli airstrike killed a senior Hezbollah military commander in Southern Lebanon, prompting Hezbollah to retaliate with rocket attacks and explosive drones targeting northern Israel.
Israeli authorities have issued threats of a military offensive in Lebanon unless Hezbollah withdraws from the border. Over the past decade, Iran-backed fighters from Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan have fought together in Syria, significantly influencing the outcome of the 13-year conflict in favor of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, revealed that militant leaders from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and other countries have previously offered tens of thousands of fighters to assist Hezbollah. However, Nasrallah emphasized that the group already boasts over 100,000 fighters, suggesting that their current battle strategy primarily involves specialized fighters skilled in missile and drone warfare.
Yet, if an all-out war erupts, Hezbollah may tap into external support. Nasrallah hinted at this possibility in a 2017 speech, asserting that fighters from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Pakistan could become partners in such a conflict. Officials from Lebanese and Iraqi groups backed by Iran anticipate that fighters from the region will converge on the Lebanon-Israel border if war breaks out. Thousands of these fighters are already deployed in Syria and could easily cross the porous, unmarked border.
Some of these groups have already targeted Israel and its allies during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, employing a “unity of arenas strategy.” Their commitment to fighting alongside Hezbollah remains steadfast until Israel ceases its offensive against Hamas in Gaza.
While the current conflict relies heavily on advanced technology like missile systems, experts acknowledge that a prolonged war might necessitate additional fighters from outside Lebanon. The situation remains delicate, with Israel closely monitoring the potential influx of foreign combatants.
Eran Etzion, former head of policy planning for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, warns of a “multi-front war” and underscores the high probability of intervention by other regional players. The delicate balance in the region remains precarious, with Hezbollah’s formidable force and the potential influx of fighters from Iran-backed groups poised to escalate tensions.
As the situation unfolds, the world watches closely, aware that any further escalation could have far-reaching consequences. The Lebanon-Israel border remains a flashpoint, and the specter of a broader conflict looms large. The fate of thousands of lives hangs in the balance, caught between geopolitical forces and historical animosities.
