The recent outbreak of violence on the border between Lebanon and Israel has raised questions about the possibility that Hezbollah, Lebanon’s military-political movement, will enter into open conflict with Israel, writes Al Jazeera.

Hezbollah fighters in violence on the streets of BeirutPhoto: ANWAR AMRO / AFP / Profimedia

Firefights between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli soldiers in response to attacks by the Palestinian organization Hamas have raised fears of a major escalation of the conflict.

Hezbollah announced its readiness: hundreds of rockets and trained troops

Iran-backed Hezbollah has warned that it is fully prepared for such a conflict, with a significant number of fighters and a large stockpile of missiles.

Hezbollah expert Nicholas Blanford estimated for Al Jazeera that the movement has between 60,000 and 65,000 fighters, including regular forces and reservists.

Over the past 17 years, Hezbollah has greatly improved its military capabilities, now having approximately 150,000 missiles in the arena, including Iranian-made guided missiles with a range of 300 km.

Hezbollah also has a “special forces” unit trained to infiltrate Israel in the event of war.

The conflict would devastate Lebanon

However, there are fears that a war with Israel could have devastating consequences for Lebanon and cost Israel dearly.

In a wider conflict, Israel could use what it calls the “Dahiya doctrine,” which involves the use of disproportionate force against civilian and military infrastructure.

Such a war could lead to civil unrest in Lebanon, as the country is already in deep economic and political crisis.

Although there are fears of an escalation of the conflict, some experts believe that Iran and Hezbollah will be reluctant to go to war.

Hezbollah serves as an important deterrent against any possible Israeli and US plans to attack Iran.

The risk remains, however, and the US has sent two aircraft carriers to the Mediterranean to deter Iran-backed groups from attacking Israel.

Israel could develop its own plans to use US diplomatic and military efforts to attack Hezbollah first.

Although direct conflict appears to have been avoided for now, tensions in the region remain high and any spark could ignite a major conflict with dire consequences for all involved.