The Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah and other terrorist groups in Lebanon have attacked Israel on a near daily basis since Hamas’s October 7 invasion—there have been roughly 244 projectile attacks in 73 days according to JINSA’s research, and other organizations have documented higher quantities. As a result, roughly 80,000 Israelis have evacuated from communities along the northern border. Restoring Israel’s security, and returning Israelis to their homes, will require not just defeating Hamas but also ensuring, whether diplomatically or militarily, that Hezbollah does not and cannot attack from the north.
Yet, recent U.S. diplomatic efforts to negotiate an Israel-Lebanon border deal, as well as U.S. pronouncements that equivocate between Hezbollah attacks and Israeli responses, may make a war more likely if Hezbollah perceives a lack of U.S. resolve to support Israel. The United States should instead adopt the “no daylight” principle, clearly articulating that it supports, and will equip, any future Israeli military efforts to neutralize Hezbollah’s threat.
