In the years following 2006, Hizballah and Israel maintained a balance of force, with the 2006 war demonstrating Hizballah’s ability to withstand and respond to Israeli aggression. This balance shifted in 2023. 2023 AND AFTER Following the Hamas-led operation on 7 October and the start of Israel’s genocidal campaign against the Gaza Strip, Hizballah opened up what it called a “support front” in solidarity with Gaza on the 8 October. The aim was to draw some Israeli military resources and attention away from Gaza and maintain a degree of pressure against Israel from the north. Israel, however, saw this as an opportunity to finally destroy Hizballah as an organisation, carrying out large scale attacks. Between October 2023 and November 2024, Israeli attacks in Lebanon killed around 4,000 people, injured around 16,000, and displaced around 180,000. The war significantly degraded Hizballah as a fighting force, ultimately compelling a ceasefire in November 2024. The ceasefire lasted until March 2026, during which time 15,000 violations were recorded as having been committed by Israel. With Hizballah weakened, Israel estbalished five “military positions” and two “buffer zones” inside Lebanon during this period, effectively reinstating renewed Israeli occupation in
parts of the country. Recently, there have also been calls from within Israel for the pursuit of settlement inside parts of south Lebanon. Such plans, however, face ongoing resistance. In March 2026, following the US-Israeli war on Iran that began in late February, and amid reports that Israel was planning to restart the war and conclusively finish the campaign against Hizballah, the group surprised observers by reopening its front against Israel. In early April 2026, a US/Israel - Iran ceasefire was announced, though its scope remained contested. Iran and mediators indicated that Lebanon was included, but Israel continued its operations against Hizballah. Just hours after the ceasefire announcement, Israel launched one of the deadliest airstrikes Lebanon has seen in years. Within 10 minutes over 100 strikes hit the country targeting densely populated areas, killing more than 250 people and injuring thousands.*
*Figures as of 9 April 2026
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