The "forgotten front" of the Middle East conflict is heating up. Israeli drones carried out a series of precision strikes in Southern Lebanon late last night, killing one person and destroying what the IDF claimed was "advanced Hezbollah infrastructure." The attack marks a dangerous uptick in the tit-for-tat violence that has plagued the border region for months.

Lebanese security sources identified the victim as a local commander of the Radwan Force, Hezbollah’s elite unit. The strike, which hit a vehicle near the village of Kherbet Selm, was surgical, designed to minimize collateral damage but maximize the message: Israel is watching.

The "Buffer Zone" Strategy

Israel has been systematically targeting Hezbollah positions south of the Litani River, aiming to push the militants back from the border. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant recently warned that if diplomacy fails to create a buffer zone, the military will "act with full force."

• Hezbollah's Dilemma: The group has so far calibrated its response to avoid a full-scale war, firing anti-tank missiles at empty Israeli barracks. However, the assassination of a commander demands a response. Analysts fear a miscalculation could trigger a rain of rockets on Haifa.
• The Civilian Cost: For the villagers of Southern Lebanon, the war is already here. Tens of thousands have been displaced, their olive groves burned by white phosphorus and their homes shaken by sonic booms. The economy of the south has collapsed.
• The Iran Connection: The strike coincides with rising tensions in Tehran. Israel may be seizing the opportunity of Iran’s internal chaos to degrade its proxies without fear of massive retaliation.

As UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) patrol the Blue Line in armored convoys, they are merely spectators to a duel that is slowly spiraling out of control. The border is quiet this morning, but it is the silence of a fuse burning down.