Israel-Lebanon escalation: attacks, territories, objectives… key dates for understanding the history of these tensions

Since the explosions of electronic devices belonging to Hezbollah members on September 17 and 18, 2024, all eyes have been on the region. And above all: on a possible escalation of tensions between Israel, accused of organizing these attacks, and the Shiite movement.

Hezbollah vows revenge, Israel claims victories. Tensions between the Jewish state and the Shiite movement have been at their peak since the simultaneous explosion of thousands of electronic devices belonging to Hezbollah last week.

Israel is accused of having manipulated the arrivals of pagers and walkie-talkies so that they exploded in the pockets of members of the pro-Iranian group. In addition, Netanyahu has carried out several attacks in Lebanon, particularly in the southern suburbs of Beirut, the stronghold of several Hezbollah commanders.

But for To understand the tensions between these two parties, we must go back several decades. When Hezbollah was just an obscure, disorganized group, and Israel was a new state seeking to establish itself in the region.

1980: the creation of a solid group

Created in 1980, Hezbollah adopted a charter in 1985, reports France Info. From there, the movement became an organized armed group, and spread to Lebanon with the strategy of blending into the country to control it from within. From 1992, it participated in national elections. Many tensions erupted in the country or against Israel.

The political-religious organization supported by Iran took root in Lebanon: it helped civilians, offered training, built homes… the aim was to swell its ranks with new Lebanese recruits. Today, between 30,000 and 50,000 fighters are said to be part of the movement. It also has an arsenal of 130,000 to 150,000 rockets, estimates L’Express.

2006: the Israel-Hezbollah conflict

Triggered by cross-border raids by Hezbollah, a new war breaks out between the Shiite group and the Hebrew State, explains the BBC. Israeli troops invade southern Lebanon in an attempt to eliminate the group, in vain.

For thirty-three days, Israel carries out a series of attacks in retaliation for the kidnapping of two IDF soldiers. The toll: 1,200 dead and a million displaced, notes Le Monde diplomatique. Thanks to a UN Security Council resolution, the conflict ends.

2017: Arming Hamas

Starting in 2017, Hezbollah begins supplying weapons to Hamas. In its fight against Israel, the sworn enemy of its enemy becomes one of its closest allies.

Hamas is not its only ally in the region. Iran's powerful influence has allowed it to deploy a nebula of small groups throughout the region. Among these pro-Iran groups: Hezbollah of course, but also the Houthis in Yemen or the Revolutionary Guards in Iran, notes Le Parisien.

These groups have in common the support of Iran, a major Shiite force in the region, and the fight against what they call “little Satan”, or Israel according to them.

2023: towards a new escalation of tensions

This is the latest turning point in tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. While the Hebrew state has just suffered a massive attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, in which nearly 1,200 Israelis will lose their lives, Hezbollah speaks out in favor of the Palestinian movement.

Subsequently, Israel carries out hundreds of strikes on the enclave and its civilians in retaliation for the attacks, using the pretext of tracking down Hamas militiamen. Nearly 40,000 people have died since then.

In a relentless search for pretexts for abuses, Hezbollah uses Israel's destruction of the Gaza Strip to legitimize its terrorist attacks. And on the other hand, the Hebrew state justifies its attacks in Gaza, but also in the West Bank and Lebanon, by its hunt for terrorists.