Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has intensified since the October 7 attacks last year. Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, has regularly fired rockets into northern Israel, prompting Israeli airstrikes against southern Lebanon and Beirut.
2. The pager attacks in Lebanon
On Tuesday, September 17, pagers said to belong to members of the armed group Hezbollah exploded in Lebanon. The explosions took place in several areas of the country for just over an hour. Several pagers belonging to members of the group are said to have also exploded in Syria – in connection with the attack in Lebanon. On Wednesday, a day later, new explosions took place – this time it was through walkie-talkies that were blown up.
3. Death of Hezbollah leader
On Friday, September 27, Israel carried out major bombings in Beirut, including an attack on Hezbollah’s headquarters that allegedly targeted leader Hassan Nasrallah. On Saturday morning, the IDF stated that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has died. “Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorize the world,” writes the Israeli military on X.
4. Cease-fire attempts have failed – many civilian casualties
The US has tried to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, but neither side has agreed to it. The latest Israeli attacks have claimed more than 700 lives and forced more than 90,000 people to flee their homes in Lebanon, according to the AP. Many flee from the southern parts of the country, where Hezbollah is strongest, to safer areas.
5. Risk of regional escalation
The conflict risks spreading further in the region. Both Israel and the US fear that Hezbollah and Iran will draw more actors into the fighting, which could lead to a wider war in the Middle East. It is still unclear how Hezbollah will respond to the death of their top leader.