Mar 13 • 19:20 UTC 🇦🇷 Argentina La Nacion (ES)

Israel's offensive exacerbates internal tensions in Lebanon and hovers the threat of another civil war

Israel's military offensive has intensified internal strife in Lebanon, particularly fuelling anger towards Hezbollah.

The ongoing Israeli bombings in Beirut not only result in destruction and loss of life but have also significantly degraded air quality, blending with dust from demolished buildings to create a harmful environment. This situation has led to rising health concerns among residents, with some wearing masks, but the more pressing issue is the escalating tension among the various communities living in the capital. The Shiite group Hezbollah has become a focal point of anger, perceived by many as the primary instigator of the current crisis, and this discontent is palpable among different sects in Lebanon.

The backdrop of this conflict is Lebanon's already fragile state, characterized by an economic crisis exacerbated by the ongoing conflict with Israel. The Lebanese population, weary from years of instability, is showing increasing resentment not just towards the direct impact of the bombings but also towards Hezbollah for its role in dragging Lebanon into further turmoil. This hostility could potentially ignite even more divisive conflicts within the country, raising fears of a renewed civil war, which Lebanon has not experienced since the 1990s.

As tensions mount, the implications for Lebanon's internal stability are dire. The dislocation of communities and deterioration of trust among different religious factions might lead to large-scale confrontations if immediate steps are not taken to address the grievances against Hezbollah and to mitigate the humanitarian crisis. The environment in Beirut, already strained by external military actions, now risks falling into deeper chaos due to internal frictions, threatening the very fabric of Lebanese society.

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