Lebanon Conflict 1985-2000

Lebanon Conflict 1985-2000

Background

The Southern Lebanon Conflict (1985-2000) is also referred to as the Security Zone conflict in Lebanon. It is the period of warfare between Lebanese Muslims against Lebanese Christian proxy militias (SLA) with the logistic support and military of Israel defense forces. A Lebanese Shi’s radical movement led the warfare, Hezbollah, backed up by the Iranians. It aimed to end the occupation of Southern Lebanon by the Israeli. The main cause of the conflict was the occupation of the Southern Lebanon territory by the Israeli as Hezbollah campaigned against the Israeli troops (Aboultaif 2016). Over the fifteen years, Israeli felt that their presence in Lebanon was a necessity. They thought that it provided a security zone, thus protecting the Northern Israeli against terrorist attack stemming from the Lebanese territory (Nanes 2019). The Israeli consensus shifted after a few years; hence the public supported the Israeli decision to withdraw from Lebanon. However, strategic analysts, as well as military leaders, warned that the withdrawal decision risked the Northern Israeli security (Geist 2019). When the warring factions agreed to disarm and the Lebanese civil ended, the SLA and Hezbollah refused. Later, the Hezbollah weakened Israel resolve, thus the collapse of the SLA and the withdrawal of Israeli in 2000..

Operations and tactics of the terrorist group:

The Hezbollah were fighting for the Southern Lebanon territory “Security Zone” occupied by the Israeli.  The Israel troops were made of the SLA as well as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) made of more than 10000 soldiers. Southern Lebanon has a hilly landscape, and the Hezbollah took advantage of this geographical condition while fighting the Israeli troops. According to DeVore (2017), Hezbollah used ambush operations, which affected Israel’s intelligence efforts while fighting back. Also, they could quickly execute from the battle zone after attacking the Israeli troops. This was possible as they had a good network of hiding places as the local population sympathized with them (Pinfold & Smith, 2019).  The civilian support was a significant and crucial military support for the Hezbollah to counter the Israeli superiority as they had a raw output of firearms. Also, the terrorists used suicide bombings in the Southern territory, which killed a large number of Israeli soldiers (DeVore et al. 2019). Other strategies involved rocket attacks on Northern Israel in an attempt to further threaten the enemy in Southern Lebanon. Southern Lebanon is religiously diverse, with different ethnic groups with Christianity and Islam being the main groups. The religious groups are scattered in Southern Lebanon, with Christians living in the major parts of Beirut and Nabatieth (Marcus 2018). This diverse ethnicity played a significant role to the terrorists as they had support from the citizens providing hiding areas while attacking the enemy. Apart from the use of bombs, the Hezbollah used machine guns, missiles, riffles, rockets as well as anti-Tank and Anti-Aircraft.

Counter-Terrorism strategy and tactics:

Uncontrolled terrorists could use violence to overtake the government or to instill fear to the citizens. Therefore, there is a need for a government to make plans on using the nations’ instruments to neutralize the powers of the terrorists (Sheehan, 2017). Lebanon’s government could be affected by shutting out Hezbollah completely. Therefore, the government has exerted both direct and indirect pressures to reduce Hezbollah’s influence and capabilities.

1. Implementation of UN resolutions in regards to the presence of Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon.
2. Security and legal measures have been taken against Hezbollah’s operations internationally.
3. Criminal Law

Prosecution of the terrorists is among the most effective and relied counterterrorist instrument. Life imprisonment or execution of a terrorist prevents him from conducting more attacks. This instrument is limited by the fact that a terrorist will never point out his mates (Galli, 2019). Besides, this approach is irrelevant to suicide bombers. Evidence is also not available as the terrorist leaders will never give orders or information regarding a terrorist.

1. Diplomacy

Diplomacy helps in combating terrorism internationally, regardless of existing boundaries (Saul, 2018). For instance, combating large terrorist network requires cooperation among nations. However, tracking a terrorist is difficult as there is no enough evidence to prosecute them (Chandra, 2020). Also, not all nations offer equal efforts in combating terrorism.

1. Financial Controls

Reducing the financial and military support that the organization receives from Syria and Iran by inserting pressure in these countries. The government has also reduced Hezbollah’s sources of income. According to Rébé (2019), financial control is not effective as terrorist organizations do not need large-scale financing. This is because little money is required in arms trafficking and other transnational activities.  Also, the flow of terrorist money is extremely hard to track due to the usage of false account names.

1. Military force

Military force is a vital counter-terrorism instrument as it is used to retaliate against terror attacks. It is the most forceful counterterrorist action and is therefore seen to be dramatic as they demonstrate to defeat the terrorists (Khan, 2016). It is, however, limited by the fact that terrorists’ assets cannot be easily destroyed as they do not present large or fixed targets. Besides, this instrument could lead to more deaths, including military officials, as the terrorist may choose to revenge. Also, the military official may kill the terrorists, causing more terror attacks.

The outcome of the conflict:

Hezbollah’s primary goal is to protect and defend the Lebanon and Syria territories. This goal is achievable as they have support from the government and the citizens (Moerdaning & Stevens, 2018). Also, the terrorists’ group have an ample supply of equipment that has made their goals achievable. The Lebanon conflict, however, caused a lot of deaths both in Israeli and in Southern Lebanon (Seuchika, 2018). Also, the Lebanon Conflict involved mass violence that made many get concerned with the need for working together as a nation.

Reference

Aboultaif, E. W. (2016). Just war and the Lebanese resistance to Israel. Critical Studies on Terrorism, 9(2), 334-355.

Suechika, K. (2018). Strategies, Dynamics, and Outcomes of Hezbollah’s Military Intervention in the Syrian Conflict. Asian Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, 12(1), 89-98.

Marcus, R. D. (2018). Israel’s long war with Hezbollah: Military innovation and adaptation under fire. Georgetown University Press.

Geist Pinfold, R. (2019). Territorial withdrawal as multilateral bargaining: Revisiting Israel’s ‘unilateral’withdrawals from Gaza and southern Lebanon. Journal of Strategic Studies, 1-32.

DeVore, M. R., Stähli, A. B., & Franke, U. E. (2019). Dynamics of insurgent innovation: How Hezbollah and other non-state actors develop new capabilities. Comparative Strategy, 38(4), 371-400.

Nanes, M. J. (2019). Israel’s Extremes of Interest Alignment. Proxy Wars: Suppressing Violence Through Local Agents, 110.

DeVore, M. R. (2017). Commentary on The value of domestic arms industries: security of supply or military adaptation?. Defence Studies, 17(3), 242-259.

Sheehan, M. (2017). THE EVOLVING THREAT AND EFFECTIVE COUNTER-TERRORISM STRATEGIES. Hampton Roads International Security Quarterly, 13.

Galli, F. (2019). Legal perspectives on terrorism: is Europe unprepared? EU counter-terrorism policies to address the foreign fighters and returnees phenomena. In Research Handbook on Transnational Crime. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Chandra, V. (2020). India’s Counter-Terrorism Diplomacy at the United Nations: Progress and Problems. India Quarterly, 76(1), 40-57.

Rébé, N. (2019). Counter-Terrorism Financing: International Best Practices and the Law. BRILL.

Saul, B. (2018). Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism and International Humanitarian Law.

Pinfold, R. G., & Smith, M. L. R. (2019). Theorizing Territorial Withdrawal: The Need to Think Strategically. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 1-26.

Khan, A. U. (2016). Counter Terrorism Instruments. The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad.