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Hezbollah is seeking to reawaken the Shebaa and Kfarshouba front after a 23 year-long hiatus, with the objective of justifying the possession of its military arsenal. Security sources have confirmed that the rocket that landed near the barbed wire fence in the village of Ghajar (southern Lebanon) on Thursday, July 6 was launched by Hezbollah members as a warning to Israel. The aim was to pressure Israel to remove modifications it made along the Blue Line, notably on the Lebanese side of Ghajar.
According to reports, the rocket launching coincided with a Hezbollah statement highlighting this issue. The series of events in the disputed area alarmed the UN Interim Force in south Lebanon (UNIFIL) which deployed efforts to address the situation in Ghajar as well as Hezbollah’s move to set up two tents on the hills of Kfarshouba, an area over which Israel claims sovereignty.
Rising border tensions increased the fear of a possible military escalation between Hezbollah and Israel. Border tensions exacerbated following the announcement of the Saudi-Iranian agreement in Beijing. Several incidents have since occurred along the Blue Line, and in the regions of Ghajar, the hills of Kfarshouba, and the Shebaa farms. The area has remained totally calm although Hezbollah promised to liberate it from Israeli occupation 23 years ago.
Except for the July 2006 war, military operations conducted by Hezbollah have been largely limited compared to the large-scale operations carried out by the Shiite party against Israeli troops before their withdrawal on May 25, 2000.
According to relevant information, the recent developments in the region of the Shebaa farms, the hills of Kfarshouba, and the village of Ghajar are meant to underline the continuing “need” for Hezbollah’s weapons. However, the legitimacy of the Shiite party’s military arsenal has been largely questioned and criticized following the signing of the maritime border agreement between Lebanon and Israel.
Many observers argue that the party’s weaponry is no longer needed since the maritime agreement has been concluded and calm is expected to be maintained, as per the accord. Furthermore, the situation along the Blue Line is regulated by UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which prohibits any military escalation. Thus, the disputed Shebaa farms remain the only issue at stake, though sovereignty over the area is being contested between Lebanon and Syria.
Sources indicate that Hezbollah might be seeking to establish an alternative “front” in southern Lebanon, to those which are expected to be closed under the Saudi-Iranian agreement, such as Yemen and Syria. The Shiite party is, therefore, striving to maintain its military role, which is regarded as a crucial instrument in the process of polarization and mobilization in the area. It also seeks to keep the south Lebanon scene in a state of constant alert, as it could become the only accessible front for settling scores.
