The tiny Mediterranean country is home to Hezbollah, a Shiite Muslim political party with an armed wing of the same name. Hezbollah has reported the deaths of 24 of its militants since Hamas' bloody Oct. 7 rampage in southern Israel. Hezbollah has vowed to escalate if Israel begins a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, which is likely, and Israel said it would aggressively retaliate. “If Hezbollah decides to enter the war, it will miss the Second Lebanon War. Israel sees Iran-backed Hezbollah as its most serious threat, estimating it has some 150,000 rockets and missiles aimed at Israel.

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Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Jonathan Conricus, ”, Conricus, Hassan Nasrallah, Hassan Fadlallah, Fadlallah Organizations: —, Palestinian, Hamas, National News Agency, Sunday Locations: BEIRUT, Lebanon, Israel, Gaza, Lebanese, Aitaroun, Avivim, Blida, Iran, Dov, Syria