Hezbollah Opens Costly Second Front Against Israel; Iran Reportedly Bypassed Group's Cautious Leadership to Order Offensive

Hezbollah has fully entered the Iran war following the February 28 assassination of Supreme Leader Khamenei, opening a second front with missile and drone attacks on northern Israel. Over 1,000 Lebanese have been killed and approximately one-fifth of the population displaced. The Christian Science Monitor reports Iran bypassed Hezbollah's cautious political leadership to order the offensive, viewing the conflict as existential for the militia's future. The war is unpopular among many Lebanese including Hezbollah's own Shiite base.