Israeli forces have launched a military operation to "expose and thwart" tunnels it says stretch from Lebanon to its territory. Israel considers Iranian-backed Hezbollah a major threat.
Image: Reuters/R. Zvulun
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Israel said on Tuesday it had detected so-called attack tunnels infiltrating its territory from the north and had started working to expose them. The passageways, running underground between Lebanon and Israel, are not yet operational, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The IDF did not specify the number of tunnels it had discovered, nor how long the operation, dubbed Northern Shield, would last.
"We have launched Operation Northern Shield to expose and thwart cross-border attack tunnels dug by Hezbollah terror organization from Lebanon into Israel," IDF spokesman Jonathan Conricus said.
"We see the Hezbollah activities as a flagrant and blatant violation of Israeli authority."
Both political party and militant group, the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah is as strong as ever. Its ascendancy has stoked tensions within Lebanon and across the region.
Image: Getty Images/C. Furlong
Rise of Hezbollah
Hezbollah, or Party of God, was conceived by Muslim clerics in the 1980s in response to the Israeli invasion of South Lebanon in 1982. The Shiite group has a political and military wing.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
National support against Israel
Hezbollah emerged in the 1980s as an amalgamation of Shiite militias and played a major role in the Lebanese civil war. It used guerrilla warfare to drive Israeli forces out of South Lebanon — Israel withdrew in 2000. Israel and Hezbollah fought another war in 2006. Its defense of Lebanon against Israel had won it cross-sectarian support and acceptance in Lebanese society.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Zaatari
Backed by Iran
Since its creation, Hezbollah has received military, financial and political support from Iran and Syria. Today, Hezbollah's military wing is more powerful than Lebanon's own army and has become a major regional paramilitary force.
Image: Reuters/O. Sanadiki
Political apparatus
Hezbollah turned its focus to politics following the end of Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war. It represents a large section of the Lebanese Shiite population and is allied with other sectarian groups, including Christians. Their political development has mostly come under Hassan Nasrallah (pictured), who became the group's leader in 1992.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Armed wing
Unlike other parties in Lebanon's multi-sided 1975-1990 civil war, Hezbollah did not disband its armed wing. Some Lebanese political groups, such as Prime Minister Saad Hariri's Future Movement, want Hezbollah to put down its arms. Hezbollah argues its militant wing is necessary to defend against Israel and other external threats.
Image: picture-alliance/AA
Terror group?
A number of countries and bodies, including the United States, Israel, Canada and the Arab League, consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization. However, Australia and most of the European Union differentiate between its legitimate political activities and its militant wing.
Image: picture-alliance/Pacific Press/I. Press
Hezbollah enters Syria's civil war
Hezbollah has been one of the main backers of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the country's civil war. Its entrance into the war helped save Assad, one of its chief patrons; secured weapons supply routes from Syria and formed a buffer zone around Lebanon against Sunni militant groups it feared would take over Syria. As a result it has won considerable support from Shiite communities in Lebanon.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Syrian Central Military Media
Sectarianism
Lebanon has long been at the center of regional power struggles, particularly between Saudi Arabia and Iran. However, Hezbollah's military and political ascendancy, as well as its intervention in Syria, have also helped stoke Sunni-Shiite sectarian tensions in Lebanon and across the region.
Image: dapd
Renewed conflict with Israel?
Iran and Hezbollah have increased their political and military strength through the war in Syria. Israel views this as a threat and has carried out dozens of airstrikes on Iran/Hezbollah targets in Syria. Israel has vowed to not let Iran and Hezbollah create a permanent presence in Syria. There is growing concern of another war between Hezbollah and Israel that could draw in Iran.
Image: Getty Images/C. Furlong
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Netanyahu's warning
In a UN speech in September, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accused Hezbollah of converting "inaccurate projectiles" into precision-guided missiles in Lebanon. He also held up aerial photos which he claimed show the exact locations of the weapons storage compounds. Lebanon's top diplomat slammed the claims as "pure lies."
A few weeks ago Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at an upcoming Israeli offensive. "I have a clear plan. I know what to do and when to do it. And we will do it," he said without going into specifics.
He said an upcoming security challenge would require Israelis to "endure sacrifice."
Operation Northern Shield will likely inflame tensions with Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militant group with which Israel fought several wars, the latest in 2006. More recently, Hezbollah has been one of the main backers of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the country's civil war. The group is one of Iran's staunchest allies.
The IDF announced it has strengthened forces at its border with Lebanon as a precaution against potential escalation.
Hezbollah has spent years digging cross-border attack tunnels between Lebanon and Israel as part of their "Conquering the Galilee" offensive plan, according to the IDF.
The United States classifies Hezbollah as a terrorist organization while the European Union uses the terrorist label solely for the group's military wing.
Hezbollah has not yet commented on the Israeli military operation, however, one unnamed Hezbollah official told Lebanese media it was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's response to his political and legal troubles, reported The Times of Israel.
Lebanon's military is taking precautionary measures on its southern border, according to a security source cited by Lebanese media outlet Al-Annahar.
