Israel's unconventional warfare tactics heighten risks of broader regional conflict

Israel's military chief Herzi Halevi (Rear) attends a meeting at the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel, as an Israeli military operation is undertaken in Beirut, Lebanon, on Sept. 20, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces/Handout via Xinhua)

DAMASCUS, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Recent explosions of communications devices in Lebanon that targeted Hezbollah, along with the assassinations of top Hezbollah commanders, have raised alarms across the Middle East. Many experts warned that the confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah is escalating to dangerous new levels.

Tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border have escalated sharply following explosions from pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon earlier this week that killed 37 and injured 2,931. Israel has not claimed responsibility, while Hezbollah has accused Israel of causing the blasts.

On Friday afternoon, at least 37 people, including Ibrahim Akil, the acting commander of Hezbollah's Elite Radwan Force, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on southern Beirut. This strike followed Hezbollah's launch of over 100 rockets into Israel earlier that day.

Political experts in Syria believe the attacks signal a shift in Israel's tactics, suggesting the region may be moving toward a broader, more unpredictable conflict.

An editorial in the Syrian government-run Tishreen newspaper stated that Israel is adopting unconventional warfare, including cyberattacks and covert operations.

The editorial warned that following an 11-month conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, tensions are now escalating in Lebanon, heightening risks and creating "unprecedented dangers" for the region.

Mohammad Nader al-Omari, a Damascus-based Syrian analyst and international relations expert, believes the escalation could continue for days or weeks, especially because of the political motivations behind the conflict.

"With U.S. elections approaching, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a vested interest in keeping the region unstable," al-Omari explained, noting that the conflict could bolster support for Donald Trump, Netanyahu's preferred candidate in the upcoming U.S. presidential elections.

The Tishreen editorial also linked these developments to recent U.S. political maneuvering in the region, including visits of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who are perceived as offering tacit support for Israel's actions.

Al-Omari warned that this new phase of conflict could be unprecedented for the region, with advanced technology and cyberattacks playing a key role. He noted that Israel, emboldened by U.S. political support, risks spiraling the crisis into a prolonged and possibly broader confrontation.

However, al-Omari suggested that a ground invasion of southern Lebanon now appears unlikely due to Israel's overstretched military resources amid ongoing operations in Gaza.

According to Tishreen, Hezbollah has responded cautiously as the group is wary of being provoked into a reckless confrontation by Israel's unconventional tactics.

The newspaper argued that Israel is trying to "bait the resistance into an uncalculated response," but Hezbollah has remained measured in its actions despite severe provocations.

Damascus-based political expert Maher Ihsan warned that Syria, home to a significant Hezbollah presence, may be drawn into the conflict if Israel escalates its strikes on Hezbollah strongholds and supply lines.

"Syria remains critical to Hezbollah's regional strategy," al-Ihsan said. "If Israel intensifies its strikes in southern Lebanon, we could see a further destabilization of the region, dragging Syria deeper into the conflict."