Can a Hezbollah-Israel war trigger civil strife in Lebanon?

Hezbollah’s decision to wage a low-scale conflict against Israel has triggered mixed reactions in Lebanon.

Beirut, Lebanon – Hezbollah’s effort to contain – as opposed to ending – its low-level conflict with Israel is drawing praise and condemnation from across Lebanon.

The split harks back to the 1975-1990 civil war, which split political factions across class and sectarian lines in support of or opposition to the Palestinian armed struggle against Israel being waged from Lebanon.

Now, as Israel threatens an all-out war against Iran-backed Hezbollah, sectarian tensions are climbing.

Hezbollah’s critics and political rivals blame it for waging a war against Israel without consulting other factions as Lebanon struggles to recover from a devastated economy.

Hezbollah started engaging Israel on October 8, saying it will continue until there is a ceasefire in Gaza, where Israel has killed more than 37,000 people and uprooted most of the population.