Natasha Hall
As the Netanyahu government engages in wars throughout the Middle East to degrade Iran and its allied militias, Biden administration officials are reportedly calling these military victories a “history-defining moment.” But is this moment history-defining in the way that White House officials seem to hope it is? Without a political solution that accommodates the millions yearning for peace and justice in the Middle East including Palestinians, Lebanese, and Syrians, it’s likely not. Israel’s tactical victories and Iran’s losses will be ephemeral.
Regardless of how hard Israel pummels its adversaries in the Middle East, both Iran and Hezbollah have hundreds of miles of territory sweeping from the Mediterranean to Iran to recuperate in. Hezbollah and Iran also play the long game when others, like the United States, are too impatient. This tenacity has allowed them to entrench their control in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and, of course, Lebanon. Though Iran and Hezbollah are beaten down now, they have proven to be resilient in the face of tactical losses by being able to maneuver in conflict-affected and fragile states, where others have given up.
Syria is a case in point. Hezbollah and Iran’s interventions in Syria since the start of the civil war have proven to be an advantage and disadvantage at certain moments. For example, recent reporting has suggested that their intervention in Syria has made them vulnerable to U.S. and Israeli intelligence gathering and targeting. However, this is not the first time Hezbollah and Iran have suffered due to their role in the war but stayed the course for longer-term strategic resilience.
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