What’s Next for Hezbollah After its Syria Adventure?

Since the early years of the Syrian civil war, Israel’s most threatening combatant has been busier on a different front. The Lebanese militant Hezbollah group, which last fought a war with Israel in 2006, has invested heavily since 2013 in helping Syrian President Bashar al-Assad prevail against groups that rebelled against him. Israeli officials have warned that a day would come when Hezbollah’s fighters would again turn their focus to the Jewish state, this time having gained significant combat experience and better weaponry. Israel’s discovery of tunnels it says Hezbollah militants dug to infiltrate it from Lebanon has raised concerns that the time is approaching.

By training and backing up government forces, Hezbollah has played an important role helping the Assad regime retake control of more than 60 percent of Syria. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has made clear he’s in no hurry to bring his fighters home while the battle for the rest of the country continues. The U.S. State Department said in 2017 that the group had about 7,000 fighters in Syria. By one estimate, it’s lost 1,675 in the war. On the other hand, Hezbollah fighters gained new battlefield experiences, notably operating tanks provided by Syria and coordinating with air power provided by Russia. Plus, Hezbollah has grown closer to its benefactor, Iran, another Assad ally, which has improved the group’s armory.