Hezbollah entry into war would mean Taiwan trade-off, U.S. analysts say

Israeli demand for long-range missiles and Patriots would eat into Indo-Pacific needs

20231031 Hezbollah Nasrallah

A poster depicting Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is seen in Marwahin, southern Lebanon. The militia is thought to possess 150,000 missiles, funded by Iran.  © Reuters

KEN MORIYASU, Nikkei Asia diplomatic correspondent

WASHINGTON -- Concerns are mounting in Asia that the wars in Ukraine and Israel are depleting U.S. stockpiles of weapons and ammunition, leaving it in a weaker position to defend Taiwan against a potential Chinese offensive.

Experts point out that while there is some overlap, the weapons needed to fight a land war in Ukraine, or fend off short-range rockets from Gaza, are different from what would be needed in a maritime conflict in the Taiwan Strait. However, the Iran-backed, Lebanon-based militia Hezbollah could be a game changer.

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