Americans and their allies today received a jolting and unpleasant reminder that the war on terror is far from over.

The arrest in Britain of two dozen Islamist terrorists who were plotting to blow up as many as 10 planes sent shudders of fear across the Atlantic, demonstrating once again that the threat posed by Al-Qaeda and its sympathizers remains frighteningly real.

But even as the West breathes a collective sigh of relief that the scheme was thwarted in time, Israeli troops continue to battle Hizbullah terrorists in southern Lebanon, risking their lives on the front lines in defense of freedom and civilization.

And make no mistake – regardless of the theological differences that may exist between the fanatics of Al-Qaeda and Hizbullah, the two terror groups are united in their aim of destroying not only Israel, but America too.

Had the nefarious plot to blow up the planes succeeded, you can be sure that Hizbullah would have cheered the results, just as the followers of Osama Bin-Laden undoubtedly applaud each and every Hizbullah rocket fired against the Jewish state.

The fighting in Lebanon, then, is not just Israel's war, but America and Britain's war, too. It is part and parcel of the global war against Islamic fundamentalist terror – so instead of pressuring Israel to call off its counter-terror campaign, anyone who values liberty should be speaking out in defense of the Jewish state and encouraging it to carry on until victory – and nothing short of victory – is achieved.