Who are Hezbollah and why is the group involved in fighting with Israel?
ITV News' Warren Nettleford explains the origins of Hezbollah - one of the most heavily armed non-state military forces in the world
With the Israeli military on the verge of invading Lebanon, Hezbollah has insisted it is still at maximum strength after recent attacks by Israel left thousands of its fighters wounded and its leadership decimated.
In recent weeks, Israel has launched several strikes against Hezbollah killing most of its leadership, including its longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Israel has also begun launching "limited operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure near the border," according to US officials.
Deputy leader Naim Kassem used his first speech since their leader's death was announced, he said Hezbollah were ready if Israel launched a ground offensive into Lebanon.
He said: "Israel was not able to affect our (military) capabilities."
Israel and Hezbollah have been ratcheting up their cross-border exchanges since the October 7 attack by Hamas.
Tensions escalated in July when Hezbollah's commander Fuad Shukr was killed in a drone strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut and reached new heights after the killing of Nasrallah.
Both Israel and Hezbollah have been locked in retaliatory with each day bringing more escalation and increasing chances of an all-out war between the two.
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Who are Hezbollah?
Hezbollah is an Shia militant and political force based in Lebanon that has been designated a terrorist group by many Western countries, including the UK.
It was founded in 1982 after the Lebanon War, which saw Israel occupy much of the south of Lebanon.
The group specifically set out to copy the model of Ayatollah Khomeini's Iranian Revolution in 1979 and has been an anti-Israel, anti-western organisation ever since.
It has since also become a powerful force in the region with a large military, which some say outnumbers Lebanon's own national army.
Numerically Hezbollah is the largest non-state military organisation on the planet.
Hezbollah has also become a legitimate part of Lebanese politics, leading to accusations that it is a state within a state.
The group currently holds 15 seats in the parliament and is part of the seven-party caretaker government.
The country is now bitterly divided between Hezbollah, its allies and opponents, paralysing the political system.
Hezbollah's rise to power in Lebanon has weakened the country's standing with international partners.
Iran is a key ally of Hezbollah, and the Gulf states, who are largely anti-Tehran, have backed away from the group.
Meanwhile, Western supporters have become frustrated with the rampant corruption and mismanagement in Lebanon.
What is its relationship with Hamas?
Both Hezbollah and Hamas are backed by Iran, which provides both with training, funding and military equipment.
The two groups have become closer in recent years, with many Hamas leaders now living in Beirut.
On January 2, an apparent Israeli drone strike hit an apartment in a building in a Shiite district of Beirut, killing Saleh Arouri, who was a founder of Hamas' military wing and had headed up the group's presence in the West Bank.
Although they often support each other in their sparring with Israel, the two groups do have differences.
Hezbollah is not a Palestinian organisation and is Shia Muslim whereas Hamas and the vast majority of Palestinians are Sunni Muslims.
What has Hezbollah done during the recent conflict?
Hezbollah has launched near-daily rocket attacks from Lebanon into Israeli territory, since the beginning of the conflict.
It has also allowed Hamas and other militant groups to carry out strikes from southern Lebanon.
There has been significant diplomatic pressure placed on Hezbollah and Lebanon to ensure the war between Hamas and Israel does not spread to new fronts.
Israel has not sat back while Hezbollah has struck into its territory and has carried out numerous targeted attacks on the militant group's leadership, including killing its longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Israel is believed to be behind the walkie-talkie and pager explosions used by Hezbollah militants that killed dozens of people.
Hezbollah has vowed to get revenge for the attacks and has said its fighting capability has not been weakened..
They said it holds the "Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression that also targeted civilians", adding that Israel will "for sure get its just punishment".
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