The next terrifying war: Israel v Hizbullah
It would feature kamikaze drones, mass blackouts and the largest missile barrage in history
A war is looming in Lebanon. For months Israel and Hizbullah, an Iranian-armed Shia militia, have traded drones, rockets and missiles (see charts). Northern Israel has been blasted and depopulated: 70,000 people have been displaced. More have left southern Lebanon. On July 3rd Israel killed a senior Hizbullah commander; the group responded with a heavy rocket barrage. Several countries, including America, are telling their citizens to leave Lebanon. Israel’s leaders talk of war as though it is inevitable. It would be the most intense conflict in the region in decades—a calamity for Israel and a disaster for Lebanon.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Dangerous sparks”
From the July 6th 2024 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Middle East & Africa
Hamas’s pick of Yahya Sinwar as leader makes a ceasefire less likely
The appointment of the architect of October 7th ties the group closer to Iran
The Middle East braces for wider war as Iran weighs its response
After Israeli strikes, America is rushing troops to the region and airlines are steering clear
Ethiopia is in the midst of a kidnapping epidemic
As the government hails a new IMF deal, lawlessness is spreading
Somaliland’s camel herders are milking it
Commercial dairies are scaling up an old trade
Will Hamas turn from war to politics?
The assassination of its political leader poses a string of dilemmas
Israeli strikes on Beirut and Tehran could intensify a regional war
At the very least, they will delay talks over a ceasefire in Gaza