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Source: https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/israel-is-turning-the-screws-on-hezbollah/
Israel Is Turning the Screws on Hizbullah
(Spectator-UK) Jonathan Spyer - The killing of Lebanese Hizbullah military chief Haytham Ali Tabatabai by Israel on Nov. 23 reflects the shift in the balance of power between Jerusalem and the Iran-backed Shia Islamist group. Yet while Hizbullah has now been shown to be much weaker than Israel, it nevertheless remains stronger than any internal faction in Lebanon, including the official Lebanese government. Hizbullah is seeking to rebuild its capacities, no force in Lebanon is willing or able to stop this, and Israel, aware of Hizbullah's intentions towards it, is determined to keep the organization weak and possesses the capacity to do so. A central lesson of Oct. 7 for Israel is that seeking to achieve quiet through mutual deterrence with the armed Islamist militias on its borders is a fool's errand. These organizations adhere to a religious and ideological outlook which trumps self-interest and pragmatism. They must therefore be kept physically weak. Since the ceasefire in the last months of 2024, Israel has been engaged in an active campaign to disrupt Hizbullah's ability to rebuild its capacities. Around 350 of its men have been killed in this process. Ali Tabatabai was the latest of them. It looks likely that Hizbullah will now bide its time and continue to rebuild. But the contest between Israel and Hizbullah is far from over. The writer is director of research at the Middle East Forum.