Lebanon's Hezbollah has been significantly degraded militarily by Israel, but the Iran-backed group will likely try to rebuild its stockpiles and forces and pose a longterm threat to the U.S. and its regional allies,

Israel issued a warning at Lebanon that it will not long distinguish between Beirut and Hezbollah should the cease-fire between Jerusalem and the terrorist group collapse following an exchange of strikes.

As tit-for-tat strikes strain a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah less than a week since it went into effect, Israel’s defense minister on Tuesday threatened to directly target the Lebanese state should the agreement fall apart.

Fighters from Hezbollah and Iraq’s Shiite militias have deployed to Syria to support government forces, but it’s unclear if they are capable of turning the tide.

Even as Israel bombarded Syria, officials say the U.S. and Gulf countries were working to weaken its president’s alliance with Tehran. Rebels’ shock advance has dampened those hopes.

Hagar Chemali, former director for Syria and Lebanon at the National Security Council and founder of Greenwich Media Strategies, discusses the flare up in in Syria's civil war. (Source: Bloomberg)