What's happened
On October 1, 2024, Israel initiated a limited ground operation in southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. This follows a series of intense airstrikes and aims to secure northern Israel from ongoing threats. The operation's scope may expand as tensions rise in the region, with U.S. officials expressing concern over potential Iranian involvement.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Axios, the Biden administration does not oppose Israel's actions but fears a repeat of past conflicts, noting that 'U.S. officials have been warning about months' regarding potential Iranian involvement. The New York Times reports that the Israeli military described the operation as 'limited' but acknowledges the possibility of escalation, with thousands of additional troops deployed. Patrick Kingsley from the New York Times highlights that the invasion follows a year of conflict, stating, 'Israel is attempting to force a conclusion to a yearlong war.' This reflects a consensus among sources that while the operation is currently limited, the situation remains fluid and could evolve rapidly.
How we got here
The conflict escalated after Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas following the October 7 attacks. Israel's military response has included extensive airstrikes, leading to significant casualties and destruction in Lebanon. The current ground operation marks Israel's first major incursion into Lebanon since 2006.
More on these topics
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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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Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist militant organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
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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.
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Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician serving as Prime Minister of Israel since 2009, and previously from 1996 to 1999. Netanyahu is also the Chairman of the Likud – National Liberal Movement.
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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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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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Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is an American politician who is the 46th and current president of the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and represented Delaware in the United States Senate
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The Israel Defense Forces, commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal, are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force, and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has