Israel’s War on Gaza and Regional Escalation
- Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza has entered its 10th month, with regional tensions rising.
- Recent violence includes the assassination of Hamas’s Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and multiple deadly attacks in Lebanon.
- Over 17,000 attacks have been reported in the Middle East since October 7, affecting several countries including Syria, Yemen, and Iran.
As Israel’s war on Gaza extends into its 10th month, fears of regional escalation are intensifying. In recent days, Hamas’s political chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran, a move blamed on Israel. This incident followed an Israeli strike in Beirut that killed three people, including senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, and injured 74 others.
The conflict has seen Israel conducting over 17,000 attacks across eight Middle Eastern countries since October 7. The majority of these strikes, over 10,000, have targeted Palestinian territories, primarily the Gaza Strip. Lebanon has faced over 6,500 attacks, resulting in significant casualties and infrastructure damage.
In Lebanon, the situation remains tense with cross-border hostilities escalating since Hezbollah’s show of solidarity with Palestinians in early October. Israeli military actions have intensified, with recent attacks described as “precision strikes” aimed at Hezbollah leadership. The violence has severely impacted civilian life, leading to food and medicine shortages.
Syria has also been heavily impacted, with Israel responsible for more than 140 incidents since October, resulting in over 260 deaths. Israeli airstrikes have targeted Iranian and Hezbollah positions in Syria, particularly around Damascus. Notably, an April attack flattened the Iranian consulate in Damascus, killing seven members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Cross-border attacks in Lebanon
Since October 8, when Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people, Israel has attacked it nearly four times as much, with more than 6,544 attacks along the 120km (75-mile) border and further north of the country, killing more than 590 people.
The latest attack in Lebanon on Tuesday was described by the Israeli military as a “precision strike” on Shukr, in a southern suburb of Beirut.
Three civilians were killed and 74 wounded in the attack, Lebanon officials say.
Israeli officials say it was a response to an attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday that killed 12 children and young people. Hezbollah has denied responsibility for that attack.
Attack on Syria
Israel is responsible for more than 144 armed incidents in Syria since October 7, killing more than 260 people.
It has significantly increased the frequency and intensity of its attacks since the start of its war on Gaza, targeting Iran and its ally Hezbollah in Syria, especially around the capital, Damascus.
In April, Israeli fighter jets flattened the Iranian consulate building in Syria’s capital Damascus, killing seven members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including two generals who led the elite Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon.
Just days before the attack on the Iranian consulate, the Israeli military had launched massive strikes on Syria’s northern province of Aleppo, killing at least 40 people, most of them soldiers.
Attacks on Iran
In Iran, tensions spiked in April when explosions were reported near Isfahan’s airport and an army airbase, following Israeli strikes on the Iranian consulate in Syria. These incidents have heightened concerns over Iran’s nuclear facilities and regional security.
Iran’s Fars News Agency said “three explosions” were heard near Qahjavarestan city in Isfahan province, close to the province’s airport and an army airbase. Isfahan, located in the centre of Iran, hosts the country’s uranium conversion facility in the southeastern Zerdenjan area. Additionally, the Natanz uranium enrichment site is also located within the province.
US media reported that senior American officials had told them Israeli missiles had hit an Iranian site.
Attack on Yemen
Yemen has not been spared from the conflict. Israeli airstrikes in Hodeidah, a port city under Houthi control, resulted in six deaths last month. These strikes were a response to a Houthi drone attack on Israel’s Eilat port.
The situation remains volatile as Israel’s military actions continue to provoke strong reactions across the region. The international community watches closely, concerned about the potential for broader conflict as hostilities show no sign of abating.
