Washington Post Analysis: When Will Be Next Mideast War? - by Steven Gutkin

Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah
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When Will Be Next Mideast War?- by Steven Gutkin

JERUSALEM -- The war in Lebanon has badly bruised the Israeli government and boosted Hezbollah's standing in the Arab world.

For now, neither side can truly declare victory. Hezbollah's ability to withstand more than a month of Israel's punishing assaults while firing an uninterrupted stream of more than 4,000 rockets has given its fighters heroic status on Arab and Muslim streets.

So far, Nasrallah is the only person to emerge from the wreckage of Lebanon not only unbroken but seemingly strengthened. As his Shiite Muslim militant group battles Israel’s powerful military into an improbable fourth week, his stature in the Muslim world has never been greater.

In Washington and throughout the West, the rise of this charismatic, broadly popular Islamist is being watched closely. As his stature grows, his pronouncements will increasingly influence how the Muslim world views itself and its relationship with the West.