ISRAELI-HEZBOLLAH CONFLICT AND ITS EFFECT ON MIDDLE EAST SECURITY

Authors:Bashiru Salihu Ph.D; Nnamdi Okonkwo Ph.D & Verse Lynn Agashua

Volume: 7 | Issue: 1 | Year: 2026

Abstract

This research investigates the Israeli–Hezbollah conflict and its implications for regional security in the Middle East. The study focuses on two main objectives: first, to assess the emergence of the conflict and its effect on regional security; and second, to enumerate the effect of the conflict on state stability and diplomatic alignments. It was anchored by the Realist theory, which accentuates power, security, and state survival in an anarchic international system. This research adopted ex-post Facto research design, primarily relying on secondary sources including scholarly literature, policy reports, United Nations documents, and media analyses. Furthermore, this study features the limited effectiveness of international frameworks such as UNIFIL and United Nations Security Council resolutions, which endures enforcement and credibility challenges in restraining asymmetric confrontations. The study recommends among others that enhancing Lebanese state agencies, particularly the armed forces and internal security agencies, through modernization, capacity-building, and better coordination, to reduce reliance on non-state armed actors and fostering long-term stability.