itstargetnews
Unlock Editor’s Digest for free
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.
(noun) armed conflict between countries or groups
In the Middle East, 2024 will be one of the most devastating years in modern history. Tens of thousands were killed and millions were forced from their homes. An unimaginable number of lives were destroyed.
The killing began in late 2023 after a Hamas attack on October 7 in Israel, in which Palestinian militants killed about 1,200 people and took 250 hostages. Guns have rarely been silent since.
Israel retaliated with a massive offensive in Hamas-controlled Gaza that killed more than 44,000 people and reduced the besieged strip to a wasteland.
After October 7, the militant movement Hizbollah began firing into Israel in solidarity with Hamas, while another front opened up on the Israeli-Lebanese border. Allied militants backed by Iran, including Houthi rebels in Yemen and Shia militias in Iraq and Syria, have also launched missiles, rockets and drones at Israel. Meanwhile, Israeli forces and Jewish settlers intensified their attacks and attacks on the occupied West Bank.
As the conflict continues, Iran and Israel exchanged direct fire for the first time in April. They repeated the act in October, with greater brutality.
A month later, Israel intensified its offensive against Hizbollah. It killed leader Hassan Nasrallah, launched air strikes across Lebanon and invaded the south of the country. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boasted that he had changed “the balance of power in the region for years”.
A US-sponsored ceasefire was implemented to end the Israel-Hizbollah war on November 27. But it still hasn’t silenced the guns. Each side accuses the other of violating the truce. Israel continues to bomb southern Lebanon.
Hours after the ceasefire took effect, another war reigned, with an offensive by Syrian rebels breaking a year-long stalemate. In less than two weeks, dictator Bashar al-Assad has fallen, sparking hope and joy – but also bringing more uncertainty.
