| The Israel-Hamas war • The Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023 when Hamas launched a large-scale attack on southern Israel, leading to significant casualties. • In response, Israel declared war and carried out extensive airstrikes on Gaza, targeting Hamas. • The conflict has caused heavy casualties and a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza. • Egypt has led peace efforts, attempting to broker a ceasefire, but negotiations have so far been unsuccessful, and tensions remain high. |
- The wave of Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, followed by the hundreds of drones and rockets launched by Hezbollah, marked the largest exchange of hostilities across Israel’s northern border since the Hamas attacks on October 7th.
- Hezbollah holds substantial influence in Lebanon, functioning as both a Shiite Muslim political party and a militant group.
- It opposes Israel and Western presence in the Middle East and acts as a proxy for Iran, its primary supporter.
- Amid Lebanon’s political and economic crisis, the group has come under unprecedented scrutiny from the Lebanese public.
- Hezbollah is often described as the world’s most heavily armed non-state actor.
| Hamas • It is an Islamist militant group that emerged from the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in the late 1980s. • It gained control of the Gaza Strip after defeating its rival political party, Fatah, in the 2006 elections. • The United States, European Union, and several other governments have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization due to its attacks against Israel, including suicide bombings and rocket strikes. |
Dig Deeper: Read about terror groups like the Muslim Brotherhood.
