Is Hezbollah Sabotaging the Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire?
Lebanese Hezbollah fighters take part in cross-border raids, part of a large-scale military exercise, in Aaramta bordering Israel on May 21, 2023, ahead of the anniversary of Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000. Photo:…
Assessment
Two Israeli soldiers have been killed during a clearance operation in southern Lebanon, with four others wounded, escalating tensions in a ceasefire that was already fragile. Israel's retaliatory strikes risk unraveling whatever truce had held. The key question is whether Hezbollah played a direct role in the incident or is content to let the ceasefire erode without taking responsibility, which would determine the next phase of escalation.