August 1

Ever since war broke out between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Israel has also been under threat from Hezbollah, the terrorist organization based in Lebanon to Israel’s north.

For many months, more than 60,000 Israelis living along the northern border have been evacuated from their homes, unable to return out of fear that an attack reminiscent of October 7 would take place there, too. 

Meanwhile, wide areas of Israel’s northern region have come under constant missile and UAV attacks, leading to death, damage and fires in the area, all while the possibility of a full-scale war with Hezbollah remains chillingly omnipresent.

Last Saturday, July 27, 12 Druze children aged between 10 and 16 were killed when a Hezbollah missile fell on a soccer pitch in the northern village of Majdal Shams. It was the most devastating attack in Israel since October 7, and triggered a massive worldwide outcry.

Israel retaliated a few days later with the targeted assassination of top Hezbollah commander, Fuad Shukr, who was believed responsible for many of the Hezbollah attacks on Israel since October 7, and notably the weekend attack on Majdal Shams.

8 must-read books on the Israel Iran conflict
Collage of book covers by ISRAEL21c

In what possibly constituted one of the weirdest nights in the country’s history, Israel faced a massive UAV and missile attack launched by Iran on the night of April 13. 


With millions of people awake in the middle of the night, watching the skies or their TVs, it was a historic event that was thankfully thwarted in a most magnificent manner.

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Just a few hours later, Israel presumably also carried out the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran.

Reprisals against Israel are coming. According to the New York Times, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has ordered a direct strike on Israel for the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, and Hezbollah is also weighing options.

To learn more about Israel’s formidable northern adversary and to help you understand the ever-more complex situation, we’ve gathered the following reading recommendations.

Wishing us all better times to come.

1. Israel’s Long War with Hezbollah: Military Innovation and Adaptation Under Fire by Raphael D. Marcus

7 books to help you understand the Hezbollah Israel conflict

Middle East security researcher Raphael D. Marcus’ book can claim an unusual source of information – a Hezbollah official. Aside from said official, the military history of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict is based on Hebrew and Arabic primary sources; interviews with Israeli defense officials, Western diplomats and UN officials; and fieldwork in both countries. Marcus analyzes major junctions in the decades-long battle between Israel and Hezbollah, focusing, among other things, on the parties’ innovation and adaptation throughout.

2. 34 Days: Israel, Hezbollah, and the War in Lebanon by Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff

7 books to help you understand the Hezbollah Israel conflict

In recent years, Avi Issacharoff has become a household name thanks to his hit TV show, “Fauda.” But Issacharoff has had a long career as a journalist covering Palestinian and Arab affairs. In this book, he partnered with fellow military affairs journalist Amos Harel to analyze the 2006 Second Lebanon War. The book tries to explain how Israel found itself in war with Hezbollah, the challenges it encountered and the mistakes made along the way.

3. Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon’s Party of God by Matthew Levitt

7 books to help you understand the Hezbollah Israel conflict

The Washington Institute researcher Matthew Levitt’s book on Hezbollah provides a thorough look at the many aspects that comprise the well-known terror organization. It gives an overview of Hezbollah’s origins in Lebanon, its involvement in terrorist activities worldwide, its links with Iran and its relations with Palestinian terrorist organizations. The book is based on interviews, court records and government documents, making it a comprehensive source of information and analysis.

4. From Beirut to Jerusalem by Thomas L. Friedman

7 books to help you understand the Hezbollah Israel conflict

An oldie but a goodie, Thomas Friedman’s book is a captivating account of his days as a correspondent in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War and the First Lebanon War and in Jerusalem during the First Intifada. Full of anecdotes that help shed light on life in one of the world’s most complex regions, as well as on its people, challenges and pitfalls, it still makes for relevant reading and showcases the longevity of the conflicts now once again in full force.

5. Lebanon: A Country in Fragments by Andrew Arsan

7 books to help you understand the Hezbollah Israel conflict

Lebanon and Hezbollah are sometimes conflated in news reporting, and while the two are far from interchangeable, it is important to learn more about the former to understand the rise of the latter. Andrew Arsan’s book on Lebanon’s complicated history and crises, as well as on its multifaceted people and politics, provides a fresh look at the small country that is home to so many opposing truths.

6. Contested Frontiers in the Syria-Lebanon-Israel Region: Cartography, Sovereignty, and Conflict by Asher Kaufman

7 books to help you understand the Hezbollah Israel conflict

With Israel’s northern border flaring up and so many Israelis forced to leave their homes, it’s worthwhile reading more about this small strip of land and the challenges that encompass it. In his book, historian Asher Kaufman delves into Israeli, American, British and French archives, scans Lebanese and Syrian sources as well as historic maps, and conducts interviews with United Nations officials and local residents. The result is a comprehensive analysis of the geopolitics of the area and their implications on the conflict.

7. Hezbollah: A Regional Armed Non-State Actor by Hadi Wahab

7 books to help you understand the Hezbollah Israel conflict

While all eyes are now on Hezbollah’s conflict with Israel, in recent years the terror organization has been preoccupied with another war taking place in the region – the civil war raging in neighboring Syria. Hezbollah fought alongside the Syrian regime, garnering much criticism both at home and from the wider Arab world. In his book, Hadi Wahab highlights Hezbollah’s shift from a domestic Lebanese actor to a regional non-state actor, analyzing its evolution and growing influence in the region.

13 books to help you understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Image by Below the Sky via Shutterstock.com

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has the dubious honor of being the highest-profile conflict in the world, and the war now waging between Israel and Hamas means it is getting more headlines than ever before.


But to better understand the conflict raging for over 100 years in the Middle East, we recommend getting past the headlines and doing something almost unheard of these days – turning to a proper book.

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Jason Harris

Jason Harris

Executive Director

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