Operation Peace for Galilee: Israel Invades Lebanon

Israel’s invasion of Lebanon on June 6, 1982, marked the beginning of Iran’s direct proxy involvement against Israel through the establishment of Hezbollah.

Operation Peace for Galilee

Israeli objectives in Lebanon:

• Destroy PLO infrastructure in southern Lebanon
• Eliminate terrorist attacks on northern Israel
• Establish friendly government in Beirut
• Push Syrian forces out of Lebanon

Iranian Opportunity

The invasion created conditions for Iranian intervention:

• Lebanese Shia community felt vulnerable
• Syrian government sought allies against Israel
• Power vacuum in southern Lebanon
• Revolutionary Iran needed regional proxy

Birth of Hezbollah

Iran exploited the situation to create Hezbollah:

• Sent Revolutionary Guards to Bekaa Valley
• Established training camps for Shia militants
• Provided funding and weapons
• Created organizational structure

Early Resistance Activities

Hezbollah’s initial operations against Israeli forces:

• Guerrilla attacks on occupation forces
• Suicide bombings against Israeli targets
• Coordination with other resistance groups
• Intelligence gathering on Israeli positions

Strategic Implications

The invasion’s long-term consequences:

• Gave Iran permanent foothold in Lebanon
• Created Israel’s most capable enemy
• Established proxy warfare model
• Led to decades of low-intensity conflict

Regional Response

International and regional reactions:

• Syrian support for Iranian presence
• US concern about Iranian expansion
• Arab states’ mixed reactions
• European calls for withdrawal

Israel’s 1982 invasion inadvertently provided Iran with the opportunity to establish its most successful proxy organization, fundamentally altering the regional balance of power.