Iran, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon: Israel continues to fight
Hamas’ attack on Israel marked the beginning of a new phase in the Middle East. After this attack, Israel launched large-scale operations in the Gaza Strip. Subsequently, the war spread to other countries in the region, including Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen.
“We are in a multi-front war. We are being attacked from seven different arenas: Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank (Judea and Samaria), Iraq, Yemen, and Iran,” said Daniel Hagari, the spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched an attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip. Soon after, Hezbollah and the Houthis also joined the assault. The war continues to this day. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have also targeted Hamas’ tunnels, arsenals, and defensive positions in Gaza. They are continuously striking Syria and Iraq to prevent them from supplying weapons to Hamas.
However, the war in Israel’s southwest has weakened. Most of the brigades stationed on the Gaza border have been transferred to the border with Lebanon, where new military operations began on September 17, this time between Israel and Hezbollah. The airstrikes have affected both members of the group and residents of the southern suburbs of Beirut. The IDF is urging the local population to leave the area, stating that Hezbollah is using them as human shields. At the same time, the IDF continues to destroy the group’s arsenals and eliminate its leaders.
Islamic countries are also responding to these events, condemning Israel’s actions. A closed session was held in Iran’s parliament, during which it was decided to avenge the assassination of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, by Israel. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that “the Islamic world must take more decisive steps against Israel.”
However, the war is not limited to Lebanese territory. On September 29, just a few hours before sunset, the IDF launched airstrikes on the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah. By September 30, ground operations had already begun in Lebanon. The Israeli authorities are cooperating and coordinating their actions with the United States.