Lebanon, the land of cedars

Significant regional shifts often emerge while the world's attention is focused on other crises. At a time when the war against Iran is ongoing, Israel's attacks on Lebanon have returned to the agenda. These attacks are seen as one of the most serious destabilizing developments in Lebanon in many years.

Although Israel's attacks on Lebanon are linked to Iran, they are actually a reflection of a broader regional reckoning. Israel's intervention in Lebanon is not new. The military operations carried out in 1978 and 1982 form the historical background of this policy. These interventions occurred in the period before Hezbollah emerged on the scene as an effective actor. Lebanon's geopolitical position has historically placed the country at the center of regional conflicts.

The reasons for Israel's attack on Lebanon are multidimensional. The first of these is the goal of weakening and, if possible, eliminating the military and political power of Hezbollah in Lebanon, which Israel views as a threat to its own security. Secondly, to expand its territory by taking control of southern Lebanon. Thirdly, it is the strategy of Israel and the US acting on different fronts to lighten each other's burden in the large-scale struggle being waged against Iran.

The Hezbollah Factor

Hezbollah is constantly at the center of Israeli attacks. While Hezbollah is a powerful political and armed actor operating in Lebanon, it does not represent the entire country. Israel views Hezbollah as part of Iran's regional influence network and a direct threat to its own security. For this reason, it justifies its military operations against Lebanon by citing Hezbollah's actions. This situation is also evaluated as an effort by Israel to create a basis for its interventions at the international level.

However, the reality on the ground shows that these attacks are not limited to Hezbollah alone. Israel's attacks on Lebanon also directly target the country's territory, infrastructure, and civilian life. Damage to water resources, the destruction of infrastructure, and the impact on civilian settlements are concrete examples of this. In this respect, the destruction process experienced in Gaza comes to mind as a similar example.

Israel's goals of expanding in the region and ensuring its security are a known fact. In addition to Israel's security approaches toward regions such as Palestine, Syria, and the Sinai Peninsula, there is a goal of creating a buffer zone in southern Lebanon extending to the Litani River line. This strategy aims to limit threats and ensure the security of Israel's northern borders. The tension with Iran has created a significant strategic opportunity for Israel in terms of implementing these goals.

For Israel, the attacks on Hezbollah mean cutting off Iran's strategic influence line extending to the Mediterranean. Thus, the goal is to limit Iran's access to the eastern Mediterranean. Furthermore, forcing the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah through military pressure is also seen as part of this strategy. Indeed, there has been a clear political tension that has been ongoing for a long time between Hezbollah and the central government within Lebanon. The government has banned Hezbollah's military and security activities and has demanded that the Iranian ambassador leave the country.

Israel's attacks on Lebanon are also being used as an indirect element of pressure in the negotiations the US is conducting with Iran. Moreover, not only Israel and the US, but also some of the Gulf countries are indirectly supporting the Lebanese government's steps to limit Hezbollah's armed power.

On the other hand, sitting at the negotiating table with Lebanon does not mean for Israel that the attacks will end. Israel considers diplomacy and military operations as complementary tools.

Conclusion

Israel's attacks on Lebanon are not just a security issue centered on Hezbollah, but part of a wider regional power struggle. In this context, Lebanon has become a region directly affected by the competition between Iran and Israel. It can be said that Israel's strategy is to both create deterrence on the ground through military pressure and to attempt to reshape Lebanese domestic politics. However, this approach, while targeting non-state actors, also negatively affects the state structure and civilians, thus increasing the risk of long-term instability. Considering the proxy wars in the region, Lebanon's fragile political structure is in a very sensitive position against such interventions.