Hezbollah is both a partner and proxy of Iran. It is also the largest and most well funded and well equipped of Iran’s numerous proxies that Iran has used to attack Israel since October 7.For Iran, preserving Hezbollah is a key priority.

Thousands of fighters from Iran-backed groups in the Middle East are ready to come to Lebanon to join with the militant Hezbollah group in its battle with Israel if the simmering conflict escalates into a full-blown war,

If Israel were to invade Lebanon, U.S. intelligence is concerned that Russia would move even closer to Iran and attempt to arm the Houthis.