Thousands of fighters from Iran-backed groups across the Middle East are reportedly prepared to join forces with Hezbollah in Lebanon if the ongoing skirmishes with Israel escalate into a full-scale war. The current conflict, marked by almost daily exchanges of fire along the Lebanon-Israel border, was ignited by a brutal assault on southern Israel by Hamas fighters from Gaza in early October. This attack triggered a devastating Israeli response in Gaza and heightened tensions along its northern frontier with Lebanon.
The situation deteriorated further this month following an Israeli airstrike that killed a senior Hezbollah military commander in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah retaliated by launching hundreds of rockets and explosive drones into northern Israel. Israeli officials have threatened a military offensive in Lebanon if Hezbollah is not pushed away from the border through negotiations.
Over the past decade, Iran-backed fighters from Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan have collaborated in Syria’s prolonged conflict, significantly aiding Syrian President Bashar Assad. According to officials from Iran-backed groups, this coalition is ready to unite against Israel if necessary.
In a recent speech, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah acknowledged the offers of assistance from militant leaders across Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and other nations, but he emphasized that Hezbollah’s existing force of over 100,000 fighters is sufficient for the current conflict. However, he hinted at the potential for a broader mobilization if war breaks out. In a 2017 speech, Nasrallah mentioned that fighters from these nations would be partners in such a conflict.
Iran-backed groups in Lebanon and Iraq affirm that they will join forces with Hezbollah if war erupts on the Lebanon-Israel border. Thousands of these fighters are already stationed in Syria and could easily cross the porous border into Lebanon. Some of these groups have already engaged in attacks against Israel and its allies since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7. The groups operate under a “unity of arenas strategy,” committing to cease hostilities only when Israel ends its offensive in Gaza against Hamas.
An anonymous official from an Iran-backed group in Iraq confirmed the presence of some Iraqi advisers in Lebanon and stated that if an all-out war occurs, fighters from Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, Afghanistan’s Fatimiyoun, Pakistan’s Zeinabiyoun, and Yemen’s Houthi rebels could join the battle. Qassim Qassir, an expert on Hezbollah, noted that the current combat largely relies on high-tech weaponry and does not necessitate a large number of fighters. However, a prolonged war might require reinforcements from outside Lebanon.
Israel is also aware of the potential influx of foreign fighters. Eran Etzion, a former Israeli policy planning official, highlighted the likelihood of a “multi-front war” involving intervention by the Houthis and Iraqi militias and an influx of jihadists from Afghanistan and Pakistan into Lebanon and Syrian areas bordering Israel. Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari stated that since Hezbollah initiated its attacks on October 8, it has launched over 5,000 rockets, anti-tank missiles, and drones at Israel. Hagari warned that Hezbollah’s increasing aggression could lead to a wider escalation with devastating consequences for Lebanon and the entire region.
Hezbollah officials assert that while they do not seek an all-out war with Israel, they are prepared for it. Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Kassem, stated that any Israeli expansion would be met with a significant and deterring response.
The U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the commander of the U.N. peacekeeping force along Lebanon’s southern border, Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro, have expressed concerns about the real danger of miscalculation leading to a sudden and broader conflict.
The last major conflict between Israel and Hezbollah occurred in the summer of 2006, lasting 34 days and resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths in Lebanon and 140 in Israel. Since the recent clashes began, over 400 people have been killed in Lebanon, mostly fighters, including 70 civilians and non-combatants. On the Israeli side, 16 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed, with tens of thousands displaced on both sides of the border.
Qassir noted that the experience of fighting together in Syria has fostered a common military language among the forces of the “axis of resistance,” which could be crucial in coordinating a joint battle if foreign fighters join the conflict.
