Why the Battle Between Israel and Hezbollah Goes On and On

Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah have fought intermittently for more than four decades, culminating in a particularly intense conflict last year following the outbreak of the war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. A November 2024 ceasefire delivered a period of relative calm, though a recent burst of hostilities has threatened the stability of the pact.

Since that truce was agreed, Israel has launched regular attacks on Lebanese territory and still maintains a military presence in parts of the country along the southern border. A Nov. 23 strike killed Hezbollah’s second-highest ranking leader, chief of general staff Abu Ali Al-Tabtabai, in Beirut’s southern suburbs.