Lebanon
Lebanon is Israel's northern neighbor and the primary arena of the northern front. As of June 2026, the theater has transitioned into a direct regional conflict involving high-intensity IDF operations against Hezbollah infrastructure, even as a diplomatic pause affects direct strikes on Iran.
Lebanon shares a border with northern Israel and has long served as the primary base for Hezbollah, Iran's most capable regional proxy. While UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006) was intended to keep Hezbollah forces north of the Litani River, the lack of enforcement allowed for the development of extensive terror infrastructure. Following the October 7, 2023 attacks, Hezbollah initiated a sustained campaign against northern Israel, leading to the displacement of tens of thousands of Israeli civilians. By June 2026, the strategic landscape shifted toward total regional escalation. A ceasefire framework brokered in 2025 effectively lapsed due to Hezbollah's continued presence south of the Litani and its rejection of updated terms. This led to a major IDF offensive aimed at the systematic destruction of Hezbollah's command centers and weapons production facilities. In early June 2026, the conflict reached a new peak with IAF strikes on strategic targets in Beirut's Dahieh district. Despite reports of a pause in direct strikes on Iranian soil—reportedly at the request of U.S. President Donald Trump—the IDF continues full-scale operations in Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have clarified that Israel will not accept a new "deterrence equation" where Iran attempts to link its direct intervention to the ongoing dismantling of Hezbollah. Recent operations have included the exposure of massive underground networks beneath the Beaufort Ridge and targeted strikes in Tyre and Beirut following renewed rocket fire on northern Israeli towns.