Regional tensions fuel Lebanon-Israel clashes

Martin Fletcher Correspondent • Profile

ZARIT, Israel — Hezbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers in cross-border attacks from Lebanon on Wednesday, actions in which up to ten Israelis and two Lebanese were also reported killed.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert described Hezbollah’s incursions as an “act of war” and promised a "very painful and far-reaching" response. So far, that has resulted in air assaults and counterattacks across the Lebanon border, ostensibly in a search for the captured soldiers.      

NBC’s Martin Fletcher reports from the border on the escalation of tension in the area, which some fear could lead to full-scale war.

Hezbollah’s capture of the Israeli soldiers and Israel’s invasion of Lebanon represent a serious escalation of Middle East tensions. Are we witnessing the first acts of war here? What we are seeing the first act of is a very harsh Israeli response, one way or the other. I wouldn’t say it’s going to be all-out war, but the Israeli prime minister is in a real bind now.

The problem is that in the same way as Israel didn’t really have any direct leverage over Hamas in Gaza, it’s even more true in South Lebanon.

Basically, there aren't any real institutions of Hezbollah to attack. It’s very much an underground organization. So they can attack a few training grounds, maybe a Hezbollah building or two, or try to assassinate a Hezbollah leader. But, that’s not going to free their soldiers.

The only way Israeli believes it can free the soldiers is by putting pressure on the Lebanese government. That’s why Israel said that is an act of war by Lebanon and that Lebanon will bear the consequences.

So, what we’ll see is Israeli pressure on the Lebanese government. There are already war planes over Beirut and they’ll probably attack Lebanese infrastructure targets. Lebanon is very vulnerable because they have no real air defenses against Israel.

In the past, Israel has often demanded that the Lebanese government disarm the Hezbollah militia, which acts as a second army inside Lebanon. So, that’s the only leverage Israel has against Hezbollah — forcing the Lebanese government to act. Which, in the past, Israel has never succeeded in doing.

What are the goals of Hezbollah? Why did they enter into the fray here?
Basically, they are helping Hamas — that what it’s all about.

It’s also important to bear in mind that both Hezbollah and Hamas are in effect run by Iran. The radical branch of Hamas is lead by Khalid Meshaal, who is in exile in Damascus and is financed and inspired in large part by Iran. It’s Syria and Iran who also finance, inspire, and give logistical back-up to Hezbollah.

So, Hezbollah getting into the act is probably the work of Syria and Iran using their proxies to help each other.

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