Arab affairs expert Zvi Yehezkeli says Hezbollah is regrouping in Lebanon, planning kidnappings and provocations, as Iran scrambles to recover from Israel’s crushing blows.
Renowned Arab affairs analyst Zvi Yehezkeli has dismissed reports claiming Hezbollah is preparing for a new full-scale war with Israel — but warned that the Iranian-backed terror group is quietly regrouping and plotting new provocations to regain relevance after its humiliating defeats.
Speaking to i24NEWS, Yehezkeli revealed that Israel achieved roughly 80% of its objectives in the recent campaign against Hezbollah — dismantling key infrastructure, neutralizing commanders, and forcing the organization into retreat.
“The remaining 20% shows what happens in the Middle East when you don’t finish the job entirely,” Yehezkeli cautioned.
He blamed Lebanon’s dysfunctional political system and weak American pressure for allowing Hezbollah to persist, noting that “massive U.S. investment” in Lebanon failed to achieve the one goal that mattered — disarmament.
“The U.S. didn’t support us in Lebanon the way it did in Gaza,” he said. “As a result, Israel continues to act freely in southern Lebanon and beyond.”
Yehezkeli also underscored Iran’s growing anxiety after recent Israeli operations — including the pager strike and the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah — shattered Tehran’s aura of invincibility.
“Tehran realized Hezbollah can recover within Lebanon. They will return to the south and continue their activities — and Israel understands this too,” he warned.
However, Yehezkeli emphasized that Hezbollah currently fears an all-out confrontation, knowing the IDF’s retaliatory capacity is overwhelming. Instead, he predicted, Hezbollah may attempt a symbolic kidnapping of an Israeli soldier to rebuild prestige in the Arab world — a tactic reminiscent of Hamas’s failed terror theatrics.
“Hezbollah is redeploying in southern Lebanon and planning operations,” he said. “Israel must act decisively to complete the mission and ensure the Lebanese arena is finally free of Hezbollah weapons.”
His message was clear: Israel cannot afford to leave the job unfinished. In the volatile Middle East, hesitation invites renewed terror. Yehezkeli’s warning comes as intelligence sources confirm that Iran’s proxies are desperate for revenge after their devastating losses — but fear triggering another Israeli onslaught.
For Israel, the choice is between temporary calm and lasting security — and as Yehezkeli put it, “Only decisive action will ensure the north sleeps safely again.”
