Lebanon

Far from simply replaying the 2006 Lebanon war, the next conflict on Israel’s northern frontier will likely involve many more actors on multiple fronts, raising unprecedented challenges for escalation management.

Hezbollah is an organic part of the IRGC-QF, so its purported desire to distance itself from Iran would only mean its end.

Hezbollah has made further strides toward remaking state institutions in its image, but the international community can still slow the group's momentum by pressuring its domestic political enablers.

The group has essentially guaranteed itself a victory by coopting opponents and shuffling electoral districts, but the West can still contain the damage by pressing Beirut on economic reforms.

While a desire to protect the nuclear deal had some effect on the Obama administration's posture toward the group, interagency coordination problems were a much bigger factor.

For many Lebanese Shia, blindly accepting the group's narrative may be less emotionally wrenching than questioning whether a youth's death was worth the pain.

Two experts diagnose the Shia militia problem in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, offering concrete advice for reducing the power of Iran's proxies.

Through Moscow meetings and public statements, Israeli officials have made clear that Iranian weapons facilities in Lebanon are a game changer, so escalation is quite possible if Tehran ignores their warnings.

As British officials consider how to designate Hezbollah's supposed 'wings,' they should take the group's own words to heart.