Smoke billows after an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Abbasiyeh on September 24, 2024. 
| Photo Credit: AFP

Several pagers and communication devices used by the Hezbollah militant force in Lebanon exploded on September 17 and 18, killing 39 and injuring over 3,000 people, including civilians. These pagers, allegedly set off by Israel in a sophisticated offensive against Hezbollah members, fuelled the flames of violence between Israel and Lebanon.

Hezbollah, which supports Hamas and the Palestinian movement in Israel, has fought Israeli forces at the borders ever since Hamas’ October 7 attack last year. That attack killed more than 1,200. Israel’s retaliation has killed more than 43,000 people and increased dangers of starvation in Gaza.

The war, fought for almost a year now, is bursting at the seams, threatening to spill over into a regional war in the Middle East. Israel now fights on three fronts – against Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Meanwhile, a ceasefire remains elusive as Hamas and Israel disagree over hostage release agreements and military withdrawal terms. The escalation with Lebanon only makes matters worse. Here is a timeline of the decades-long animosity between Israel and Hezbollah.

Inputs from Reuters