On the brink of war

The Middle East is on the brink of war. This is a critical moment where, if diplomatic efforts fail, the region will become a sea of ​​fire.

Hezbollah launched a massive rocket barrage into areas of Israel near the Lebanese border. (Source: Arab News)

Following the bombing of Hezbollah's communications equipment that inflicted heavy damage, Israel's most intense airstrike on Lebanon since 2006, which killed more than 550 people and injured over 1,800, is bringing the Middle East to the brink of war.

Since the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip erupted, Hezbollah has also begun missile attacks on Israel in support of Hamas. However, despite the bombastic rhetoric and threats of mutual destruction, neither Israel nor Hezbollah, nor Iran—the country that backs Hezbollah—want a full-scale war.

With its superior military power, Israel is capable of devastating Beirut and other areas of Lebanon, as it did in the Gaza Strip, to eliminate Hezbollah. But even in a weaker position, Hezbollah could still inflict serious damage on Israel if it fired missiles at strategic locations such as airports, power plants, and offshore gas platforms.

Therefore, until recently, fighting between Israel and Hezbollah took place only along the shared border, with tacitly accepted "red lines" relating to the geographical scope of attacks and the requirement not to target civilians.

But last week's devastating Israeli attacks on Lebanon could push the Israel-Hezbollah conflict into a new phase. With a force of 15,000 members, 150,000 missiles of various types, and 2,000 drones, Hezbollah is far more powerful than Hamas. The Israel-Hezbollah conflict would therefore be far more devastating than the current fighting in the Gaza Strip.

Moreover, once this conflict escalates, it could turn into a full-scale war, drawing both the US and Iran, the countries backing the two sides, into a direct confrontation.

The Middle East is on the brink of war. This is a critical moment where, if diplomatic efforts fail, the region will become a sea of ​​fire.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/trung-dong-ben-bo-vuc-chien-tranh-287759.html