Israel–Lebanon & Hezbollah
Israel's northern front — Hezbollah's military capacity, the post-ceasefire dynamic, and the risk of renewed escalation along the Lebanese border.
Current Situation
Last updated: July 25, 2026
Diplomatic efforts to stabilize Lebanon progressed this week as the Lebanese Army began deploying to trial zones in southern Lebanon following a U.S.-mediated ceasefire agreement and the withdrawal of Israeli troops. High-level engagement continued in Washington, with President Joseph Aoun meeting Secretary of State Marco Rubio and scheduling a White House visit with President Trump to present a plan for disarming Hezbollah. The U.S. further signaled a diplomatic and economic opening by directing domestic carriers to allow direct flights to Lebanon for the first time since 1985.
Despite the structured ceasefire transition, the operational environment remains volatile. The Israeli military maintained a state of maximum alert, conducting artillery and airstrikes in southern Lebanon and targeting a Hezbollah drone cell in the Tebnit area. Friction persisted during the troop transition, with the Lebanese Army reporting that Israeli forces fired in the vicinity of its units. Additionally, Israel expanded its footprint in Syria's Quneitra province by establishing a temporary checkpoint in al-Samdaniyah al-Sharqiyah.
Investment risk is escalating due to a surge in military preparations and regional instability. The U.S. Air Force deployed over 10 KC-135R aerial refueling tankers to Israel, bringing the total to nearly 100, while Israeli security agencies warned of an imminent "large-scale dangerous war" across the region. This heightened risk profile led Air France to suspend flights to Riyadh and Dubai. Simultaneously, Prime Minister Netanyahu faces increasing international legal pressure, with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani calling for the enforcement of an ICC arrest warrant during the Prime Minister's upcoming U.S. visit.
Key variable to watch: Whether the deployment of the Lebanese Army and the disarmament plan for Hezbollah can prevent a large-scale regional war despite the massive increase in U.S. aerial refueling assets in Israel.
Background
Origins of the Conflict
Hezbollah — Hizb Allah, "Party of God" — was founded in 1982 in response to Israel's invasion of Lebanon, with direct support from Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps. It is simultaneously a political party (with seats in the Lebanese parliament), a social welfare organisation, and the most capable non-state military force in the world. Its weapons stockpile before the 2024 campaign included an estimated 130,000–150,000 rockets and missiles — a deterrent arsenal built over decades with Iranian funding and Syrian facilitation.
The Israel-Lebanon border has seen recurrent conflict since 1982. The 2006 war lasted 34 days and ended in a UN Security Council ceasefire (Resolution 1701), which called for Hezbollah disarmament south of the Litani River and deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). Resolution 1701 was never implemented — Hezbollah rearmed substantially and Israeli overflights of Lebanon continued throughout the following 18 years.
October 8, 2023 — the day after Hamas's attack — Hezbollah opened a "support front," launching rockets, anti-tank missiles, and drones at northern Israel in solidarity with Gaza. This low-intensity exchange displaced over 60,000 Israelis from the north and escalated through 2024.
The 2024 Campaign and Ceasefire
In September–October 2024, Israel executed a decapitation campaign against Hezbollah's leadership: Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah was killed on September 27, 2024 in an airstrike on Hezbollah's Beirut headquarters. Within weeks, much of Hezbollah's senior command structure — military chief Fuad Shukr, intelligence head Ibrahim Aqil, and dozens of senior commanders — were killed in targeted strikes.
Israel launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon in October 2024. The campaign aimed to push Hezbollah north of the Litani and destroy tunnel infrastructure and weapons storage. A US-brokered ceasefire came into effect November 27, 2024. The deal called for: Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon within 60 days, Hezbollah withdrawal north of the Litani, LAF deployment to the south, and a monitoring mechanism. Implementation has been slow and contested.
Key Actors
Hezbollah: Substantially degraded from its pre-war capacity but not destroyed. New leadership (Naim Qassem as Secretary-General) is less charismatic and experienced than Nasrallah. Rearmament is constrained by Israeli interdiction of weapons shipments through Syria and Lebanon's economic collapse, but Iran continues to supply through alternative routes. The organisation retains significant infrastructure and political influence inside Lebanon.
Israel: Achieved strategic goals of degrading Hezbollah's command and displacing its assets from the south, but remains concerned about long-term rearmament. The IDF has kept special forces in parts of southern Lebanon beyond the ceasefire deadline, creating friction with the US and UNIFIL. The northern civilian population returning to the border communities remains a domestic political pressure point.
Iran: Hezbollah's patron and funder. The 2024 campaign represented a significant setback for Iran's "Axis of Resistance" — its main deterrent against Israeli and US action. Tehran continues to prioritise rebuilding Hezbollah's capacity but faces constraints from its own economic pressure and the degraded Syrian supply corridor.
Lebanon: The Lebanese state is effectively a bystander — the government lacks the authority or capability to disarm Hezbollah, and the Lebanese Armed Forces are underfunded and politically fragmented. Lebanon's economy was already in severe crisis before the war; the 2024 conflict caused an estimated $3–4 billion in direct damage, primarily in the south and Beirut's southern suburbs (Dahieh).
United States: The broker of the November 2024 ceasefire. The US has pushed for full implementation of the withdrawal timelines and pressed Israel to allow the LAF to deploy to the south without interference. Relations with the Netanyahu government over Lebanon policy have been a recurring source of friction.
UNIFIL: The UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, which has operated since 1978. It has a mandate but no enforcement power — it has documented ceasefire violations but cannot compel compliance.
Historical Context
1982: Israel invades Lebanon to expel the PLO; Hezbollah is founded with Iranian support in the chaos.
1983: Hezbollah suicide bombers kill 241 US Marines and 58 French paratroopers in Beirut — still the deadliest attack on US forces since WWII until 9/11.
1985–2000: Israeli occupation of "security zone" in southern Lebanon; Hezbollah guerrilla campaign gradually erodes the occupation. Israel withdraws in May 2000.
2006: Second Lebanon War — 34 days, inconclusive. UN Resolution 1701 never implemented. Hezbollah claims "divine victory." Israeli deterrence partially restored.
2006–2023: Hezbollah rebuilds and expands its arsenal to ~130,000 rockets; maintains "rules of engagement" with Israel that avoided large-scale war while deploying forces to Syria to support Assad.
October 2023 – November 2024: Low-intensity war escalates to full campaign; Hezbollah leadership decapitated; ceasefire brokered.
Market Exposure
Energy: Southern Lebanon and the Israel-Lebanon maritime border contain significant natural gas reserves (Karish field on the Israeli side, Block 9 on the Lebanese side). A 2022 US-brokered maritime border agreement between Israel and Lebanon partially resolved the dispute. Sustained conflict risks those assets.
Regional Risk Premium: Hezbollah is Iran's primary deterrent against Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Its degradation has altered the regional deterrence calculus — arguably reducing the cost Iran can impose on Israel for a strike, which changes the probability calculation around Iran's nuclear programme. This indirect channel is more significant than direct economic exposure.
Lebanon Sovereign: Lebanon's Eurobonds have been in default since March 2020. Reconstruction aid (primarily from Gulf states and the EU) is conditioned on political reform and Hezbollah disarmament progress — both deeply uncertain. Lebanese equities and the banking sector remain deeply distressed.