What's happened
The Israeli military has intensified its operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon following the assassination of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah. The conflict has led to significant civilian displacement, with over 211,000 people affected. Iran has vowed retaliation, raising tensions in the region.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The Independent reports that the Israeli army has conducted multiple strikes on Hezbollah targets, leading to significant civilian displacement in Lebanon. Alisha Rahaman Sarkar from The Independent highlights Iran's vow for retaliation following Nasrallah's assassination, emphasizing the potential for increased regional tensions. The Telegraph notes that Israel had planned Nasrallah's assassination for years, indicating a strategic shift in its approach to Hezbollah. These contrasting perspectives illustrate the complex dynamics at play, with implications for both military strategy and regional stability.
How we got here
The recent escalation follows the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023. Hezbollah and Israel have engaged in near-daily strikes since then, with the assassination of Nasrallah marking a significant turning point in the conflict.
More on these topics
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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Hassan Nasrallah is the third and current Secretary General of the Lebanese political and paramilitary party Hezbollah since his predecessor, Abbas al-Musawi, was assassinated by the Israel Defense Forces in February 1992.
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Iran, also called Persia, and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and Azerbaijan, to the north by the Caspian Sea, to the northeast by Turkmenistan, to the east by Afghanistan a
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Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese parliament.
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Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei is a Twelver Shia Marja' and the second and current supreme leader of Iran, in office since 1989. He was previously the president of Iran from 1981 to 1989.
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Lebanon, officially known as the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lies west across the Mediterranean Sea.