Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — Israel and Hizbullah could be drawn into a regional war, despite efforts calm tensions, a report said.

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy asserted that the current tit-for-tat attacks along Israel’s northern border could result in a fullscale war, Middle East Newsline said. In a report for the institute, defense analyst Jeffrey White said Hizbullah and Israel, who fought a 34-day war in 2006, might be competing to seize the initiative with further military escalation along the front of southern Lebanon and Syria’s Golan Heights.

White said a war with Hizbullah could result in heavy U.S. pressure on Israel. He said President Barack Obama might view the war as an attempt by Israel to derail U.S. reconciliation with Iran, Hizbullah’s sponsor.

“A major conflict with Hizbullah could also complicate Israel’s relations with the United States,” the report said. “If Israel initiates large-scale operations, Obama administration sources might call for restraint, perhaps even painting the action as an effort to collapse the Iranian nuclear negotiations.”

“War in 2015 would probably be significantly more intense and destructive than in 2006, and all of Israel would likely be targeted, not just the north,” the report, titled “A War Like No Other: Israel Vs. Hizbullah In 2015,” said. “Such a conflict would bring significant pressure to achieve a clear success, further driving the parties to sustain the fighting and raise it to higher levels of violence.”

In late January 2015, Israel and Hizbullah fought two battles in as many days along the northern front. On Jan. 27, two Israeli soldiers were killed in an anti-tank guided missile strike claimed by Hizbullah.

“Although both sides are signaling that they are not interested in further escalation at the moment, future exchanges could rapidly devolve into all-out fighting,” the report, dated Jan. 29, said. “Furthermore, it is unclear whether Iran — which lost a prominent general in last week’s Israeli strike — views Hizbullah’s response as adequate, and it may yet prod the group toward further action.”

White, a former U.S. military intelligence analyst, said Hizbullah’s rocket and missile inventory rose from 13,000 in 2006 to more than 100,000 today. He said many of these projectiles were long-range and accurate.

“Hizbullah is also believed to have made other improvements in its capabilities, including air defense and coastal defense, with systems acquired from or through Syria,” the report said. “It has very likely deepened and improved its antiarmor capabilities with additional anti-tank weapons.”

The report determined that Israel has also enhanced its military since 2006. They were said to have included intelligence, firepower, ground maneuvers, missile defense and active protection systems.

“Since 2006, IDF ground training has emphasized operations against Hizbullah, though it is unclear how much of this has been done for reserve units,” the report said.

White said Hizbullah could launch rocket salvos meant to strike most of Israel. He said Hizbullah missiles were capable of striking strategic targets and overwhelming Israel’s Iron Dome, used to block Hamas rocket launches in the war in 2014.

For its part, Israel was deemed capable of air operations against Hizbullah throughout Lebanon as well as a deep ground operations. The report said Israel would be required to conduct ground operations in Lebanon.

“There is definitely an advantage to being ‘first with the most,'” the report said. “Other factors that could lead to full-scale escalation include the snowballing of violence as each side ups its commitment, an incident that causes unexpected casualties, or domestic pressure to achieve victory.”

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