Each strike and counterstrike increases the risk of the catastrophic war in Gaza spilling across the region. In the decades-old standoff pitting the U.S. and Israel against Iran and allied militant groups, there are fears that any party could trigger a wider war if only to avoid appearing weak. Hamas might have hoped its Oct. 7 rampage across southern Israel that triggered the war in Gaza would drag its allies into a wider conflict. There is no evidence that Iran, Hezbollah or other allied groups played a direct role or knew about it beforehand. But if it triggers a full war, Israel has threatened to wreak major destruction on Lebanon, which is already mired in a severe economic crisis.

Source: ABC News January 08, 2024 14:20 UTC