Why has Hezbollah joined Middle East war?

Inside StoryHezbollah has been attacking Israel as it pummels southern Lebanon and parts of Beirut.Lebanon is once again drawn into a war many of its leaders say is not their fight.Against the government’s warnings, Hezbollah has joined Iran in its conflict with Israel. The armed group says it has a right to respond as part of what it calls a resistance campaign.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Why is Israel is moving deeper into southern Lebanon?list 2 of 3Israeli attacks kill 10 in Lebanon amid threats on Iranian officialslist 3 of 3Hezbollah’s risky return to the battlefieldend of listHowever, this time, the Lebanese government has responded by deciding to ban Hezbollah’s military activities and demanding that it disarm. The group has not heeded that warning.Now, as the war between the US, Israel and Iran widens to Lebanon, can Hezbollah’s involvement be of any real help to Tehran?And what price will Lebanon pay as a result?Presenter: James BaysGuests:Heiko Wimmen – Project director for Iraq, Syria and Lebanon at the International Crisis GroupNimrod Novik – Member of the leadership of Commanders for Israel’s SecurityNabeel Khoury – Non-resident fellow at the Arab Center Washington DCPublished On 5 Mar 2026