Lebanon Becomes Victim of Israel-Hezbollah Conflict: "Back in the Vortex of Civil War"

The conflict between the pro-Iranian militant group Hezbollah and Israel is dragging Lebanon into a new vortex of civil war.

According to the U.S. daily The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on June 8 (local time), the pressure on Lebanon intensified in early March, during the early stages of the war, when Hezbollah began firing rockets across the border into Israel in support of Iran.

The Israeli military has stated that it will pursue Hezbollah members wherever they are, beyond their traditional strongholds in southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut, and the eastern Bekaa Valley.

The aftermath of recent Israeli airstrikes and ground incursions has displaced more than 1 million people in Lebanon, many of whom are currently living in tents on the streets of Beirut.

Shiite Muslims who have fled their homes have become unwelcome in areas predominantly inhabited by Christians or Sunni Muslims, due to fears that they could become targets of Israeli airstrikes.

Meanwhile, the newspaper pointed out that the Lebanese government is unable to perform even the most basic functions of a state.

Electricity is supplied for only a few hours a day, and citizens use U.S. dollars instead of their own currency, which has plummeted in value.

The Lebanese Armed Forces are considered only the second most powerful force in the country after Hezbollah, and are ranked third when including the Israeli military, which has been expanding its occupied territories for months.

Despite U.S. support, the Lebanese military lacks advanced air defense systems and missile capabilities, and possesses only a few attack aircraft.

Many soldiers are working second jobs because their salaries are so low.

A ceasefire agreement led by the U.S. and Israel requires the Lebanese military to disarm Hezbollah and gradually regain control over its territory.

However, this is instead fueling long-standing sectarian tensions within Lebanon.

While anger is spreading against Hezbollah for driving Lebanon into war, Hezbollah, which had been weakened by Israeli attacks in 2024, is now rearmed and boldly urging the Lebanese people to take to the streets and resist the government.

Khalil Helou, a retired Lebanese army general who opposes Hezbollah, told the WSJ, "We know how an attempt to militarily disarm Hezbollah would start, but no one knows how it would end."

Lebanon suffered extreme chaos during its civil war from 1975 to 1990, when it was divided along sectarian lines, including Shiites, Sunnis, Druze, Maronite Christians, and Palestinian factions.

The WSJ reported, "The recent Israeli invasion, Hezbollah’s militant struggle, and deepening sectarian divisions remind many of those dark days," adding that "as forces promoting division rally across Lebanon, the society is being pushed to its greatest strain in years."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.