Suppressing Iran’s Ring of Fire in Lebanon

Thirteen months after Hezbollah opened an unprovoked second front against Israel on October 8, 2023, Israel’s stunningly successful operations to decapitate and degrade Iran’s main proxy now provide a narrow window of opportunity for a deal to prevent Hezbollah’s rearmament, significantly weaken Iran’s regional axis, and protect Lebanese and Israelis alike.

To be successful, this deal must avoid replicating the failures of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 which enabled Hezbollah’s massive arms buildup after 2006 without interference from UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) or the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).

Co-authored by the former head of the IDF’s international division who witnessed firsthand the failures of UNSCR 1701, JINSA is issuing this timely report detailing the minimum conditions for any ceasefire deal to meet Israel’s basic security requirements, and how such a deal could actually be enforced. It also explains how U.S. support is crucial in securing and enforcing a viable agreement that guarantees Israel’s security and enables tens of thousands of its citizens to finally return home in the north.

Click here to read the report.

Authors
IDF BG Effie Defrin
Visiting Fellow, Gemunder Center
Former Director, IDF International Cooperation Division

Yoni Tobin
Policy Analyst, Gemunder Center