Middle Eastern Crisis (2023–present)
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The Middle Eastern crisis is a series of interrelated wars, conflicts, and heightened instability in the
Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
that began in 2023 after the 7 October attacks on Israel, which followed a period of rising tensions and increased violence in the
West Bank The West Bank is located on the western bank of the Jordan River and is the larger of the two Palestinian territories (the other being the Gaza Strip) that make up the State of Palestine. A landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
and
Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip, also known simply as Gaza, is a small territory located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea; it is the smaller of the two Palestinian territories, the other being the West Bank, that make up the State of Palestine. I ...
; the attacks killed about 1,200 people in
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
and saw about 250 more taken hostage. Israel responded by declaring war and embarking on a bombing campaign, and later
invasion An invasion is a Offensive (military), military offensive of combatants of one geopolitics, geopolitical Legal entity, entity, usually in large numbers, entering territory (country subdivision), territory controlled by another similar entity, ...
, of the Gaza Strip as a part of the war in Gaza that has killed over 55,000 Palestinians. Shortly after the Gaza war began, several
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
-backed militias in the
Axis of Resistance The Axis of Resistance is an informal coalition of Iranian-supported militant and political organizations across the Middle East. Formed by Iran, it unites actors committed to countering the influence of the United States and Israel in the regio ...
joined the conflict, with the stated aim of halting Israel's killing of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. In
Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
,
Hezbollah Hezbollah ( ; , , ) is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and paramilitary group. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese Parliament. I ...
fired rockets into northern Israel, igniting a fourteen-month conflict that escalated in October 2024 to an Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon and largely ended with a ceasefire on 27 November. In the
Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
, the
Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...
-based
Houthis The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, is a Zaydism, Zaydi Shia Islamism, Shia Islamist political and military organization that emerged from Yemen in the 1990s. It is predominantly made up of Zaydi Shias, with their namesake leadersh ...
attacked shipping vessels in solidarity with
Hamas The Islamic Resistance Movement, abbreviated Hamas (the Arabic acronym from ), is a Palestinian nationalist Sunni Islam, Sunni Islamism, Islamist political organisation with a military wing, the Qassam Brigades. It has Gaza Strip under Hama ...
, drawing international rebuke—including a series of airstrikes against Houthi positions carried out by the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
and the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
—which ended with the U.S.–Houthi ceasefire in May 2025. Iraqi militias led by the
Islamic Resistance in Iraq The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI; ) refers to an informal network of Iranian-backed Shia Islamist armed groups in Iraq. The name is used by members of the network when carrying out attacks against American forces or its allies in the region ...
also carried out attacks on U.S. bases in
Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
,
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
, and
Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
, but mostly halted in December 2024. Three times during the crisis, Iran and Israel engaged in direct confrontations. The two exchanged attacks on each other's territory in April and October 2024, and June 2025, the latter of which initiated an
undeclared war An undeclared war is a military conflict between two or more nations without either side issuing a formal declaration of war. The term is sometimes used to include any disagreement or conflict fought about without an official declaration. Since ...
. In November 2024,
Syrian opposition Syrians () are the majority inhabitants of Syria, indigenous to the Levant, most of whom have Arabic, especially its Levantine and Mesopotamian dialects, as a mother tongue. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend ...
groups began an offensive that reignited the Syrian civil war, culminating in the
fall of the Assad regime On 8 December 2024, the Assad regime collapsed during a 2024 Syrian opposition offensives, major offensive by Syrian opposition, opposition forces. The offensive was spearheaded by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and supported mainly by the Turk ...
on 8 December and the establishment of a transitional government in the place of the former Ba'athist government. On the same day, Israeli forces invaded Syria, with the Israeli government declaring the 1974 disengagement agreement with
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
to be void. The diplomatic and political impacts of the crisis have been wide-ranging. The scale of destruction in Gaza has led to the diplomatic isolation of Israel and the pause of normalization talks between Israel and
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
. Conversely, the crisis has been said to have severely decreased the regional strength and influence of Iran and its allies. Israel faces accusations of genocide, including from
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
in an ongoing case at the
International Court of Justice The International Court of Justice (ICJ; , CIJ), or colloquially the World Court, is the only international court that Adjudication, adjudicates general disputes between nations, and gives advisory opinions on International law, internation ...
; the
International Criminal Court The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an intergovernmental organization and International court, international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands. It is the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute ...
has issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders—including Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu (born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician who has served as the prime minister of Israel since 2022, having previously held the office from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021. Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime min ...
—for alleged
war crimes A war crime is a violation of the laws of war that gives rise to individual criminal responsibility for actions by combatants in action, such as intentionally killing civilians or intentionally killing prisoners of war, torture, taking hos ...
.


Events by theater


Israel and the Gaza Strip

On 7 October 2023, the Palestinian militant group
Hamas The Islamic Resistance Movement, abbreviated Hamas (the Arabic acronym from ), is a Palestinian nationalist Sunni Islam, Sunni Islamism, Islamist political organisation with a military wing, the Qassam Brigades. It has Gaza Strip under Hama ...
led a surprise attack into Israel from the
Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip, also known simply as Gaza, is a small territory located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea; it is the smaller of the two Palestinian territories, the other being the West Bank, that make up the State of Palestine. I ...
that captured territory in southern Israel and killed approximately 1,200 people. In addition, about 250 Israelis and foreigners were taken into Gaza as hostages by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. The attack began with a barrage of over 4,000 rockets and paraglider incursions into Israel. Hamas fighters also breached the
Gaza–Israel barrier The Gaza–Israel barrier (sometimes called the Iron Wall) is a border barrier located on the Israeli side of the Gaza–Israel border. Before the Gaza war, the Erez Crossing, in the north of the Gaza Strip, was the only crossing point for p ...
and massacred civilians in several communities. The attack marked the deadliest day in Israeli history. In response, the Israeli government declared war for the first time since the 1973
Yom Kippur War The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was fought from 6 to 25 October 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab world, Arab states led by Egypt and S ...
. After the 7 October Hamas attack, Israel began a bombardment and
blockade of the Gaza Strip The restrictions on movement and goods in Gaza imposed by Israel date to the early 1990s. After Hamas took over in 2007, Israel significantly intensified existing movement restrictions and imposed a complete blockade on the movement of good ...
, which escalated on 13 October into temporary raids into the northern Gaza Strip and on 27 October to a full-scale invasion of Gaza with the stated goals of destroying Hamas and freeing the hostages. The initial phase of the invasion took place in the north of the Gaza Strip, including an Israeli siege of Gaza City that began on 2 November. Hamas and Israel agreed to a six-day truce from 24 November to 30 November that saw Hamas exchange Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. After the truce expired in December, Israeli troops had reached the city of
Khan Yunis Khan Yunis (), also spelled Khan Younis or Khan Yunus, is a city in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestine, and serves as the capital of the Khan Yunis Governorate. It has been largely destroyed during the Gaza war. Before the 14th century, Khan Y ...
in central Gaza. Israel began a bombing campaign of the southern city of
Rafah Rafah ( ) is a city in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestine, and the capital of the Rafah Governorate. It is located south-west of Gaza City. In 2017, Rafah had a population of 171,889. Due to the Gaza war, about 1.4 million people from Gaza C ...
in February, and Israel seized the
Rafah border crossing The Rafah Border Crossing () or Rafah Crossing Point is the sole crossing point between Egypt and Palestine's Gaza Strip. The Rafah crossing was opened by Israel after the Egypt–Israel peace treaty, 1979 peace treaty and remained under Isra ...
on 7 May 2024 as it began an offensive in an around Rafah. Israeli forces pushed deeper into Rafah on 14 May. In July, Israel initiated a second battle in Khan Yunis. On 16 October 2024, the Israeli military killed the leader of Hamas,
Yahya Sinwar Yahya Ibrahim Hassan Sinwar (; 29 October 1962 – 16 October 2024) was a Palestinian militant and politician who served as chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau from August 2024, and as the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip from February ...
, hence achieving a major goal of Israel's invasion of Gaza. The war began a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, and the Israeli invasion has displaced about 1.9 million of Gaza's 2.2 million pre-war residents and has killed at least 46,000. On 15 January 2025, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire that would halt fighting in the Gaza Strip upon its ratification and lead to the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. It went into effect four days later, with Hamas retaining control over the Gaza Strip. On 18 March, Israel launched surprise airstrikes on Gaza as Israeli Defense Minister
Israel Katz Israel Katz (; born 21 September 1955) is an Israeli politician and member of the Knesset for Likud currently serving as Ministry of Defense (Israel), Minister of Defense and a member of the Security Cabinet of Israel. Katz has been recognized ...
declared that Israel has "returned to fighting in Gaza".


West Bank

During the Gaza war, Israeli forces have carried out near-daily incursions and airstrikes in Palestinian communities in the Israeli-occupied territory of the
West Bank The West Bank is located on the western bank of the Jordan River and is the larger of the two Palestinian territories (the other being the Gaza Strip) that make up the State of Palestine. A landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
, some of which have led to clashes with regional Palestinian militias. Even before the war, there was escalating violence between Israelis and Palestinians in the region. 2022 was the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank on record, and in 2023 Israeli forces killed 234 Palestinians in the region even before the war began; Hamas said its 7 October attack was in part a response to rising violence against Palestinians. In the first weeks after Hamas's attack, Israel arrested 63 Hamas members in
Tulkarm Tulkarm or Tulkarem (, ''Ṭūlkarm'') is a Palestinians, Palestinian city in the West Bank, the capital of the Tulkarm Governorate of the State of Palestine. The Israeli city of Netanya is to the west, and the Palestinian territories, Palestinia ...
, and struck a mosque in
Jenin Jenin ( ; , ) is a city in the West Bank, Palestine, and is the capital of the Jenin Governorate. It is a hub for the surrounding towns. Jenin came under Israeli occupied territories, Israeli occupation in 1967, and was put under the administra ...
it said was used by Hamas and
Palestinian Islamic Jihad The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine (, ''Harakat al-Jihād al-Islāmi fi Filastīn''), commonly known simply as Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), is a Palestinian Islamist paramilitary organization formed in 1981. PIJ formed as an offsh ...
(PIJ). Simultaneously, attacks by Israeli settlers more than doubled in the war's first month, part of an overall rise in settler violence that has displaced over 1,500 Palestinians during the war. On 28 August 2024, Israel began an expansive military operation in the West Bank consisting of raids, airstrikes, and the blocking of entry points in Jenin and Tulkarm, marking its largest offensive in the territory since the
Second Intifada The Second Intifada (; ), also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada, was a major uprising by Palestinians against Israel and its Israeli-occupied territories, occupation from 2000. Starting as a civilian uprising in Jerusalem and October 2000 prot ...
. On 21 January 2025, Israel launched its first major post-ceasefire raid, targeting Jenin, and announced that it intended to maintain a long-term military presence in the city, marking a shift in strategy. Additionally, there have been clashes between the
Palestinian Authority The Palestinian Authority (PA), officially known as the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), is the Fatah-controlled government body that exercises partial civil control over the Palestinian enclaves in the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, ...
(PA) and militant groups opposed to it in the West Bank. The PA has partial administrative authority in the region, and is dominated by
Fatah Fatah ( ; ), formally the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (), is a Palestinian nationalist and Arab socialist political party. It is the largest faction of the confederated multi-party Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and ...
, whose collaborations with the Israeli military for security have been criticized by militias including Hamas and PIJ. Clashes between militants and the PA escalated in July 2024, and in October the PA began a crackdown on militants in Tubas in response to Iranian efforts to undermine the PA in favor of local militias. In December, it began a second offensive in Jenin targeting the
Jenin Brigades The Jenin Brigades (), also referred to as the Jenin Battalion or Jenin Brigade, is a Palestinian militant group in the West Bank. It was founded in Jenin in 2021 by Jamil Al-Amouri, a militant of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). The organ ...
, an umbrella group of local militias.


Lebanon

A series of border clashes between Israel and the Lebanese militant group
Hezbollah Hezbollah ( ; , , ) is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and paramilitary group. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese Parliament. I ...
along the
Israel–Lebanon border The Blue Line is a demarcation line dividing Lebanon from Israel and the Golan Heights. It was published by the United Nations on 7 June 2000 for the purposes of determining whether Israel had fully withdrawn from Lebanon. It has been described a ...
began 8 October 2023, when Hezbollah attacked the
Shebaa Farms The Shebaa Farms, also spelled Sheba'a Farms (, '; ''Havot Sheba‘a),'' also known as Mount Dov (), is a strip of land on the Lebanese–Syrian border that is currently occupied by Israel. Lebanon claims the Shebaa Farms as its own territory ...
region in support of Hamas's attack on Israel the day prior, and Israel responded by attacking Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. Skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah then continued in southern Lebanon and northern Israel, including in the Israeli-occupied
Golan Heights The Golan Heights, or simply the Golan, is a basaltic plateau at the southwest corner of Syria. It is bordered by the Yarmouk River in the south, the Sea of Galilee and Hula Valley in the west, the Anti-Lebanon mountains with Mount Hermon in t ...
. Hezbollah initially said that it would attack Israel until the latter ended its attacks in Gaza, and Hezbollah's attacks caused 96,000 Israelis to be displaced from northern Israel. On 2 January 2024, Israel conducted an airstrike in the
Dahieh Dahieh (, ) is a predominantly Shia Muslim suburb in the south of Beirut, in the Baabda District of Lebanon. It has a minority of Sunni Muslims, Christians, and a Palestinian refugee camp with 20,000 inhabitants. It is a residential and commerc ...
suburb of
Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...
that
assassinated Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...
Hamas deputy leader
Saleh al-Arouri Saleh Muhammad Sulayman al-Arouri (; 19 August 1966 – 2 January 2024), also transliterated as Salah al-Arouri or Salih al-Aruri, was a Palestinian politician and senior leader of Hamas who served as List of leaders of Hamas, deputy chairman o ...
. Hezbollah responded on 6 January by launching rockets at an Israeli base near Mount Meron; two days later, Israel assassinated the Hezbollah commander it said carried out that attack. On 27 July, 12 children in the Golan Heights were killed in an attack for which Israel accused Hezbollah; in response, Israel killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut on 30 July. In September 2024, an Israeli operation resulted in the simultaneous explosion of thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah on 17 September and hundreds of walkie-talkies the next day, killing 42 people. The attacks marked the beginning of an intensive Israeli campaign against Hezbollah, and in the ensuing days Israel continued attacks in Lebanon and conducted a massive aerial bombardment that killed more than 700 people, including a 20 September attack that killed Hezbollah
Redwan Force The al-Hajj Radwan Force (, , also spelled Redwan or Ridwan) is a special operation forces unit of Hezbollah. Its main mission is to infiltrate the territory of Israel, with specific attention to Galilee and northern Israel. Hezbollah has train ...
commander
Ibrahim Aqil Ibrahim Aqil (; 24 December 1962 – 20 September 2024; also known by his aliases Al-Hajj Tahsin or Al-Hajj Abdul Khader) was a Lebanese militant leader who served as commander-in-chief of Hezbollah's special operations unit, the Redwan Fo ...
. On 27 September 2024, Israel assassinated
Hassan Nasrallah Hassan Nasrallah (, ; 31 August 196027 September 2024) was a Lebanese cleric and politician who served as the third secretary-general of Hezbollah, a Shia Islamist political party and militia, from 1992 until his assassination in 2024. Bor ...
, the leader of Hezbollah, in an attack on the group's headquarters in Beirut. On 1 October 2024, Israel began an invasion of southern Lebanon that it said was to eliminate the threat posed by Hezbollah and allow the 63,000 Israelis still displaced to return to their homes. By 15 October, over 25 percent of Lebanon was under Israeli evacuation orders, and during the invasion Israel captured and destroyed several villages and towns in southern Lebanon while it continued airstrikes across the country. During the conflict, more than 3,700 people in Lebanon were killed and about 1.3 million were displaced. On 27 November, Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a 60-day ceasefire intended to lead to a lasting end to the conflict. Despite both Israel and Hezbollah continuing to exchange attacks and accusing the other of violating the ceasefire, the agreement has largely held.


Yemen and the Red Sea

Shortly after the Gaza war began in October 2023,
Houthi The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, is a Zaydi Shia Islamist political and military organization that emerged from Yemen in the 1990s. It is predominantly made up of Zaydi Shias, with their namesake leadership being drawn largely ...
militants based in
Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...
began targeting civilian merchant and naval vessels passing through the
Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
. The Houthis said that their attacks would continue until Israel ended its "crimes in Gaza." The group said it would target vessels linked to Israel, but has primarily indiscriminately attacked many vessels with no relation to the country. By May 2024, Houthis had conducted over 50 attacks; Houthi leader
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi (born 22 May 1979) is a Yemeni politician and religious leader who is the second leader of the Houthis (Ansar Allah), an organization principally made up of Zaydi Shia Muslims, since 2004. His brothers, Yahi ...
said his forces had launched 606 ballistic missiles and drones against 107 ships affiliated with Israel and its allies across the Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb strait,
Gulf of Aden The Gulf of Aden (; ) is a deepwater gulf of the Indian Ocean between Yemen to the north, the Arabian Sea to the east, Djibouti to the west, and the Guardafui Channel, the Socotra Archipelago, Puntland in Somalia and Somaliland to the south. ...
, and
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
. Houthis killed three sailors, seized one vessel, and sank another. To avoid attack, many vessels avoided the
Suez Canal The Suez Canal (; , ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, Indo-Mediterranean, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia (and by extension, the Sinai Peninsula from the rest ...
and Red Sea altogether by sailing around the
Cape of Good Hope The Cape of Good Hope ( ) is a rocky headland on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. A List of common misconceptions#Geography, common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Afri ...
at the southern tip of Africa, which caused increases in shipping costs. The first confrontation was on 19 October 2023, when a
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
guided missile destroyer in the Red Sea shot down Houthi missiles and drones aimed at Israel. The next month, Houthis hijacked the '' Galaxy Leader'' and took all 25 of its passengers hostage. In December, the United States created
Operation Prosperity Guardian Operation Prosperity Guardian is a United States-led military operation by a multinational Military coalition, coalition formed in December 2023 to respond to Red Sea crisis#Houthi attacks on commercial vessels, Houthi-led attacks on shipp ...
, a multinational naval coalition aimed at combatting attacks in the Red Sea. The coalition includes the U.S., the United Kingdom, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain. In February 2024, the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
established
Operation Aspides Operation Aspides, also known as EUNAVFOR Aspides, is an EU military operation in response to Houthi engagements with international shipping in the Red Sea. Named after the Greek word for shields (), Operation Aspides—unlike the US-led Ope ...
, including Greece, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, and other EU members; unlike Prosperity Guardian, Aspides is a purely defensive coalition. On 3 January 2024, the U.S. and 12 other nations issued an ultimatum to the Houthis warning them to stop their attacks or face military action. On 12 January, the U.S. and U.K. began airstrikes in Houthi-controlled Yemen following a
United Nations Security Council The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, an ...
resolution that condemned the Houthi attacks. The strikes were ordered by U.S. president
Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
and U.K. prime minister
Rishi Sunak Rishi Sunak (born 12 May 1980) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 2022 to 2024. Following his defeat to Keir Starmer's La ...
authorized British participation. The two countries had launched 452 attacks on Houthi territory by May 2024, though the Houthis did not entirely cease their attacks. After a Houthi drone attack in July 2024 killed one person and injured 10 others near the U.S. embassy office in
Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...
, Israel responded by attacking military facilities and oil depots in
al-Hudaydah Hodeidah (), also transliterated as Hodeda, Hodeida, Hudaida or al-Hudaydah, is the fourth-largest city in Yemen and its principal port on the Red Sea and it is the centre of Al Hudaydah Governorate. As of 2023, it had an estimated population ...
, Yemen, killing at least six and wounding at least 83. Israel attacked Yemen again in September, killing six and injuring 57 others. After Houthi attacks in December 2024, Israel launched two waves of strikes against Houthi territory in al-Hudaydah and
Sanaa Sanaa, officially the Sanaa Municipality, is the ''de jure'' capital and largest city of Yemen. The city is the capital of the Sanaa Governorate, but is not part of the governorate, as it forms a separate administrative unit. At an elevation ...
, killing a total of 13 people. Israeli attacks on the Houthis in Yemen continued into 2025. On 15 March, the US said that it started aerial and naval strikes on dozens of Houthi targets in Yemen after President Trump ordered an escalated military campaign against the Houthis. On 18 March, the Houthis pledged escalation as a response to March 2025 Israeli strikes on Gaza. On 2 April, Iranian forces pulled out of Yemen. On 17 April, the US military said that it struck Ras Isa fuel port in western Yemen, saying that it was a Houthi fuel source. Al-Mashirah reported that the strike killed at least 80 people and injured at least 150 others. On 28 April, Al-Mashirah reported that US strikes hit a detention center holding African migrants in
Saada Governorate Saada () or Sa'dah is one of the governorates of Yemen. The governorate's seat and the largest city is Saada. It is the epicentre of Zaydismballistic missile A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are powered only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) typic ...
launched by Houthis hit a grove near an access road, within the perimeter of
Ben Gurion Airport Ben Gurion International Airport , commonly known by the Hebrew language, Hebrew-language acronym (), is the main international airport of Israel. Situated on outskirts north of the city of Lod and directly south of the city of Or Yehuda, i ...
, injuring six people, one of them in good-to-moderate condition and others slightly.
Magen David Adom The Magen David Adom (, abbr. MDA, pronounced ''MAH-dah'' per its Hebrew acronym, ) is Israel's national emergency medicine, emergency medical, Emergency management, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service. The literal meaning of the name is ...
said that two others were treated due to acute anxiety. Houthis said that they launched a “
hypersonic In aerodynamics, a hypersonic speed is one that exceeds five times the speed of sound, often stated as starting at speeds of Mach 5 and above. The precise Mach number at which a craft can be said to be flying at hypersonic speed varies, since i ...
ballistic missile". On 5 May 2025, the IDF said that it carried out
airstrikes An airstrike, air strike, or air raid is an offensive operation carried out by aircraft. Air strikes are delivered from aircraft such as blimps, balloons, fighter aircraft, attack aircraft, bombers, attack helicopters, and drones. The official d ...
in Yemen, saying that it is a response to Houthi ballistic missile attack on airport one day prior and other previous attacks. Per the IDF, the strikes conducted by IAF fighter jets targeted Houthi infrastructure along the coast of Yemen, including
Hudaydah Port The Hudaydah Port (Hodeidah port ) is a key Yemeni port on the Red Sea coast. It is the second largest port in the country, located in Al Hudaydah, the fourth largest city in Yemen. The port handles up to 80% of the humanitarian supplies, fuel a ...
, and a concrete factory in Bajil, saying that they were used for militant purposes. On 6 May 2025, the IDF warned people to evacuate from
Sanaa International Airport Sanaa International Airport is the primary international airport of Yemen located in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen. It serves Sanaa City, as well as the entire population of the northern provinces of Yemen. Initially, a small passenger terminal wa ...
area. Later, it said that it
struck Struck is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Adolf Struck Adolf Hermann Struck (1877–1911) was a German sightseer and writer. He is known for his Travel literature, travelogue ''Makedonische Fahrten'' and for surveying the ...
several targets in Yemen, including "completely disabling" Sanaa International Airport and several major power stations in the Sanaa area and al-Imran concrete factory north of Sanaa, saying that they were used for militant purposes. Al-Masirah reported that three people were killed and 38 others were injured in Israeli attacks. An airport official said that Sanaa International Airport was "completely destroyed" in the strike. On the same day, the U.S.–Houthi ceasefire came into effect, ending the joint American-British airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. The Houthis agreed to halt their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea but emphasized that the ceasefire did not in "any way, shape, or form" apply to Israel. On 16 May, The IDF said that it conducted attacks on
Hudaydah Port The Hudaydah Port (Hodeidah port ) is a key Yemeni port on the Red Sea coast. It is the second largest port in the country, located in Al Hudaydah, the fourth largest city in Yemen. The port handles up to 80% of the humanitarian supplies, fuel a ...
and
Port of Salif The Port of Salif is a key Yemeni sea port. It is located in As-Salif in Hudaydah, Hudeidah Governorate on the Red Sea. The port is used to export bulk salt and import the wheat, corn and the bulk material vessels. Location The Port of Al-Sali ...
in response to Houthi attacks on Israel, and destroyed infrastructure at ports controlled by Houthis and used for weapons transfers. The Houthi-controlled Health Ministry stated that one person was killed and nine others were wounded in the airstrikes. On 28 May, Al-Masirah reported that four Israeli attacks targeted the runway at
Sanaa International Airport Sanaa International Airport is the primary international airport of Yemen located in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen. It serves Sanaa City, as well as the entire population of the northern provinces of Yemen. Initially, a small passenger terminal wa ...
and a
Yemenia Yemenia () is the flag carrier of Yemen, based in Sanaa. It operates scheduled domestic and international passenger flights to destinations in Africa and the Middle East out of its airline hub, hubs at Aden International Airport, and to a lesser ...
plane. The IDF said that it hit the airport and targeted an aircraft used to transport Houthi militants. On 10 June, the
Israeli Navy The Israeli Navy (, ''Ḥeil HaYam HaYisraeli'', ; ) is the Israel Defense Forces#Arms, naval warfare service arm of the Israel Defense Forces, operating primarily in the Mediterranean Sea theater as well as the Gulf of Eilat and the Red Sea th ...
launched attacks on Houthi territory in Yemen for the first time, targeting the port of
Hodeidah Hodeidah (), also transliterated as Hodeda, Hodeida, Hudaida or al-Hudaydah, is the fourth-largest city in Yemen and its principal port on the Red Sea and it is the centre of Al Hudaydah Governorate. As of 2023, it had an estimated population o ...
.


Iraq and Jordan

Beginning on 17 October 2023, the
Islamic Resistance in Iraq The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI; ) refers to an informal network of Iranian-backed Shia Islamist armed groups in Iraq. The name is used by members of the network when carrying out attacks against American forces or its allies in the region ...
(IRI) and other militias in the Iran-led
Axis of Resistance The Axis of Resistance is an informal coalition of Iranian-supported militant and political organizations across the Middle East. Formed by Iran, it unites actors committed to countering the influence of the United States and Israel in the regio ...
began a series of attacks against United States military bases in Iraq, Jordan, and Syria in response to U.S. support for Israel in the Gaza war. The attacks began with an IRI attack on the U.S.'s
al-Asad Airbase Al-Asad Airbase is an Iraqi airbase located in al-Anbar Governorate of western Iraq. It was originally known as Qadisiyah Airbase. It was the second largest US military airbase in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Until January 2010, it was ...
in northern Iraq that the U.S. intercepted. Regional militias had conducted over 170 attacks against U.S. forces in the region by January 2024, aimed at pressuring the U.S. into withdrawing its troops in the region that it had deployed during the
war against the Islamic State Many states began to intervene against the Islamic State, in both the Syrian civil war and the War in Iraq (2013–2017), in response to its rapid territorial gains from its Northern Iraq offensive (June 2014), 2014 Northern Iraq offensives, u ...
. On 28 January 2024, an IRI attack on a U.S. base in Jordan killed three American service members; the U.S. responded on February 2 by attacking seven sites across Iraq and Syria. The IRI also conducted attacks against Israel beginning in October 2023, and in January 2024 it attacked the Israeli city of
Ashdod Ashdod (, ; , , or ; Philistine language, Philistine: , romanized: *''ʾašdūd'') is the List of Israeli cities, sixth-largest city in Israel. Located in the country's Southern District (Israel), Southern District, it lies on the Mediterranean ...
in what it described as the "second phase of operations" in its support for Palestinians in Gaza; two Israeli soldiers have been killed by drone strikes from Iraq. Attacks on U.S. bases largely ended on 4 February 2024 at the request of Iran—though some resumed that April—and Iraqi militias agreed with the Iraqi government to stop attacking Israel in December 2024. After the January 2024
Kerman bombings On 3 January 2024, a commemorative ceremony marking the assassination of Qasem Soleimani at his grave in eastern Kerman, Iran, was attacked by two bomb explosions. The attacks killed at least 95 people, and injured 284 others. The Iranian govern ...
in Iran in which the
Islamic State The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS ...
killed nearly 100 people, Iran conducted a series of strikes in Iraq and Syria that it said targeted an Israeli spy headquarters in
Iraqi Kurdistan Iraqi Kurdistan or Southern Kurdistan () refers to the Kurds, Kurdish-populated part of northern Iraq. It is considered one of the four parts of Greater Kurdistan in West Asia, which also includes parts of southeastern Turkey (Northern Kurdist ...
and Islamic State forces in Syria. Shortly after, Iran conducted strikes in Pakistan targeting
Jaish ul-Adl Jaysh al-Adl () is a Baloch people, Baloch Sunni, Sunni jihadist militant organization that operates mainly in the Sistan and Baluchestan province in southeastern Iran, where there is a porous border with Pakistan. The group has claimed respons ...
, a
Sunni Islam Sunni Islam is the largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any Succession to Muhammad, successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr ...
ic militant group, to which
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
responded with retaliatory strikes against Iran.


Syria


Initial Israeli attacks

From the beginning of the Gaza war in October 2023 to October 2024, Israel launched more than 220 attacks on Syria through air raids and artillery attacks, killing 296 people, but the
Syrian government The government of Syria takes place in a presidential system and is currently in a transitionary period under and led by a transitional government. The seat of the government is located in Damascus, Syria. On 8 December 2024, after the succ ...
under President
Bashar al-Assad Bashar al-Assad (born 11September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer and former dictator Sources characterising Assad as a dictator: who served as the president of Syria from 2000 until fall of the Assad regime, his government ...
largely stayed out of the regional conflict. During the first month of the war, Israel launched attacks on Syrian airports and across southwestern Syria. It continued strikes in Syria in 2024, including in
Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
and
Aleppo Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
. In January, Israel killed an Iranian general of the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also known as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, is a multi-service primary branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces, Iranian Armed Forces. It was officially established by Ruhollah Khom ...
(IRGC)
Quds Force The Quds Force () is one of five branches of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). It specializes in unconventional warfare and military intelligence operations. U.S. Army's Iraq War General Stanley McChrystal describes the Quds Fo ...
alongside 12 others. On 1 April, it bombed the consulate annex of Iran's embassy in Damascus, killing 16, including
Mohammad Reza Zahedi Mohammad Reza Zahedi (; 2 November 1960 – 1 April 2024) was an Iranian military officer. A senior figure within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), he had previously commanded the IRGC Aerospace Force and the IRGC Ground Forces, a ...
, the Quds Force commander in Syria and Lebanon. In September, Israel raided and struck
Masyaf Masyaf ( ') is a city in northwestern Syria. It is the center of the Masyaf District in the Hama Governorate. As of 2004, Masyaf had a religiously diverse population of approximately 22,000 Ismailis, Alawites and Christians. The city is well kno ...
, killing at least 18 people, and in October, Israeli strikes killed 13 people in Damascus and 10 in al-Quasyr. In November, Israeli killed 23 people in Syria in strikes targeting
Palestinian Islamic Jihad The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine (, ''Harakat al-Jihād al-Islāmi fi Filastīn''), commonly known simply as Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), is a Palestinian Islamist paramilitary organization formed in 1981. PIJ formed as an offsh ...
, and killed 92 Iran-backed fighters from various groups later that month in
Palmyra Palmyra ( ; Palmyrene dialect, Palmyrene: (), romanized: ''Tadmor''; ) is an ancient city in central Syria. It is located in the eastern part of the Levant, and archaeological finds date back to the Neolithic period, and documents first menti ...
.


Opposition offensives and end of the Assad regime

On 27 November 2024, a coalition of
Syrian opposition Syrians () are the majority inhabitants of Syria, indigenous to the Levant, most of whom have Arabic, especially its Levantine and Mesopotamian dialects, as a mother tongue. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend ...
groups launched a surprise offensive against the Syrian government led by Bashar al-Assad in the country's northwest. The offensive came after key allies of the Assad government—Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah—were weakened by other conflicts. Led by
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) was a Sunni Islamist political organisation and paramilitary group involved in the Syrian civil war. It was formed on 28January 2017 as a merger between several armed groups: Jaysh al-Ahrar (an Ahrar al-Sham facti ...
(HTS) and supported by Turkish-backed rebels, the offensive was the first since the 2020 ceasefire that largely halted major fighting in the Syrian civil war, which began in 2011. By 30 November, HTS had taken control of most of Aleppo, after which Russia intervened to conduct airstrikes on rebel positions there. By 1 December, the rebels had gained control of significant amounts of land in the governorates of
Hama Hama ( ', ) is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria. It is located north of Damascus and north of Homs. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. With a population of 996,000 (2023 census), Hama is one o ...
,
Idlib Idlib (, ; also spelt Idleb or Edlib) is a city in northwestern Syria, and is the capital of the Idlib Governorate. It has an elevation of nearly above sea level, and is southwest of Aleppo. It is located near the border with Turkey. History ...
, and
Aleppo Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
, and were beginning an offensive into the city of Hama. Hama fell to the HTS on 5 December, and on 7 December they had moved south to capture the city of
Homs Homs ( ; ), known in pre-Islamic times as Emesa ( ; ), is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is Metres above sea level, above sea level and is located north of Damascus. Located on the Orontes River, Homs is ...
, effectively separating the government in Damascus from Syria's coast. Meanwhile, the
Southern Operations Room The Southern Operations Room (), abbreviated as SOR, is a Syrian rebel coalition consisting of various Syrian opposition groups and defectors that initially operated in the southern provinces of Daraa, Suwayda and Quneitra, though they expande ...
began an assault on the government in
Daraa Daraa (, Levantine Arabic: ) is a city in southwestern Syria, north of the border with Jordan. It is the capital of Daraa Governorate in the Hauran region. Located south of Damascus on the Damascus–Amman highway, it serves as a way sta ...
and began pushing into the southern suburbs of Damascus, while the
Syrian Free Army The Syrian Free Army (SFA, ), previously known as the Revolutionary Commando Army (RCA, ), and the New Syrian Army (NSA, ), was a United States Army-trained opposition faction in southeast Syria. It has been hosted at the US military al-Tanf ...
, which had captured Palmyra, approached Damascus from the east. Damascus fell to the rebels in the early morning of 8 December, 11 days after the offensive began, and HTS proclaimed the end of the Assad regime as Assad fled the country for
Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
. HTS leader
Ahmed al-Sharaa Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa (born 29 October 1982) also known by his ''nom de guerre'' Abu Mohammad al-Julani, is a Syrian politician and former rebel commander serving as the president of Syria since January 2025. He previously served as the coun ...
became the ''de facto'' leader of Syria and established a transitional government led by Mohammed al-Bashir as the country's caretaker Prime Minister of Syria, prime minister until March 2025.


Israeli invasion

After the fall of the Assad regime, Netanyahu said that the Agreement on Disengagement between Israel and Syria, 1974 Israel–Syria border agreement had "collapsed" and ordered the Israeli military to begin Israeli invasion of Syria (2024–present), an invasion of United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, the buffer zone in Syria along the
Golan Heights The Golan Heights, or simply the Golan, is a basaltic plateau at the southwest corner of Syria. It is bordered by the Yarmouk River in the south, the Sea of Galilee and Hula Valley in the west, the Anti-Lebanon mountains with Mount Hermon in t ...
. Israel seized Syria's side of Mount Hermon, occupied border villages in Syrian-controlled parts of the Golan Heights, and bombed targets across Damascus and southern Syria in addition to abandoned Syrian Arab Armed Forces (SAAF) weapons stockpiles and airbases. On 9 December, Israel carried out over 100 airstrikes across Syria, including a strike on the Port of Latakia. Israel justified its attacks, which destroyed much of the former SAAF's naval and air assets and its air defenses, as necessary to prevent extremists from capturing abandoned weapons; al-Sharaa condemned Israel's actions but said Syria would not enter a new conflict.


Iran

On 13 April 2024, April 2024 Iranian strikes against Israel, Iran launched more than 300 missiles and drones towards Israel, of which Israel said it intercepted more than 99 percent. The attack, which was the first-ever direct strike by Iran on Israel, was launched from Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen and came after the 1 April Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Israeli bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus that killed two Iranian generals among others, for which Iran had pledged retaliation. Ballistic missiles from the attack damaged Nevatim Airbase, an air base in southern Israel, but the base remained operational. The Israeli defense was aided militarily by the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Jordan, and several Arab states including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates provided intelligence support. In response, on 19 April April 2024 Israeli strikes on Iran, Israel launched a limited airstrike on Iran that targeted an air defense facility. On 1 October 2024, in retaliation for several Israeli assassinations—the Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, July killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, and the 2024 Hezbollah headquarters strike, 27 September Beirut strike that killed
Hassan Nasrallah Hassan Nasrallah (, ; 31 August 196027 September 2024) was a Lebanese cleric and politician who served as the third secretary-general of Hezbollah, a Shia Islamist political party and militia, from 1992 until his assassination in 2024. Bor ...
and Abbas Nilforoushan—October 2024 Iranian strikes against Israel, Iran launched a second direct attack on Israel that consisted of roughly 200 ballistic missiles. The U.S., U.K., France, and Jordan again helped Israel repel most of the Iranian attack. Shrapnel from the attack killed one Palestinian civilian in the West Bank. October 2024 Israeli strikes on Iran, Israel retaliated on 26 October, in the largest attack on Iran since the Iran–Iraq War, with over 100 Israeli aircraft targeting Iran's radar and air defense systems. Israel said the attack severely damaged Iran's air defense and missile production capabilities. On 13 June 2025, June 2025 Israeli strikes on Iran, Israel launched large-scale attacks against targets in several areas in Iran. Israel targeted nuclear facilities, military installations, and the private residences of senior officials, causing damage to key nuclear sites and killing Iran's top military leadership.
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also known as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, is a multi-service primary branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces, Iranian Armed Forces. It was officially established by Ruhollah Khom ...
(IRGC) commander Hossein Salami, Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri (general), Mohammad Bagheri, and nuclear scientists Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi were killed in the attacks, according to Iranian state media. The attacks killed both Iranian military members and Iranian civilians.


Iranian nuclear program

After the Trump's letter to Iran, IRGC Navy seized two oil tankers in Persian Gulf belonging to Saudis. In April, French minister of foreign affairs stated if Iran were to make nuclear weapon war would be inevitable almost. US President Trump stated that Iran wants direct negotiations. In April, IRGC General Hossein Salami declared Iranians are ready for war though should the US attack first. On 7 April, Iranian Foreign Minister announced Iran and US will start high level indirect negotiations in Oman.


Casualties

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, 48,181 Palestinians Casualties of the Gaza war, have been killed in the Gaza Strip during the Gaza war, with indirect deaths likely to be multiple times higher. More than 109,000 Palestinians have been injured in the war. The GHM does not distinguish between civilians and combatants; the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies (Israel), Institute for National Security Studies says Israel has killed more than 17,000 militants, while Hamas said in April 2024 that it had lost no more than 20 percent, or about 6,000, of its fighters. An Associated Press analysis of GHM data up to April 2024 found that women and children comprised 54 percent of all identified dead, a statistic often used as a proxy for civilian casualties. Several governments and non-governmental organizations have accused Israel of targeting civilians and committing Gaza genocide, genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, which Israel rejects. In Israel, the 7 October Hamas-led attack resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, including 816 civilians and 379 members of the Israeli security forces, security forces. Of the 251 people from Israel taken back to Gaza as hostages, 136 have been returned to Israel alive, 39 have been returned dead, Killing of Alon Shamriz, Yotam Haim, and Samer Talalka, three were killed by friendly fire, and 73 remain in captivity. At least 405 Israeli soldiers and one officer were killed during the Israeli invasion of Gaza. Eighty Israeli soldiers and 46 civilians have been killed in the conflict with Hezbollah; violence in the West Bank has killed 25 Israelis, including six soldiers and police. The United Nations Human Rights Council said there was War crimes in the Gaza war, "clear evidence" of war crimes by both Israel and Hamas during the war, and human-rights organizations have accused Hamas and other militias of committing crimes against humanity in the 7 October attack. In Lebanon, Israeli attacks killed 4,047 people and wounded 16,638 others. Hezbollah has confirmed the death of 521 of its members, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 67 Hezbollah members have been killed in Syria since the outbreak of the Gaza war. The Israeli military estimated that that around 3,800 Hezbollah members died in the conflict, while media reports claimed Hezbollah believes its number of dead could be as high as 4,000. Initial clashes in southern Lebanon also killed at least 20 members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. According to Ministry of Public Health (Lebanon), Lebanon's ministry of public health, fourteen journalists have been killed by Attacks on journalists during the Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present), Israeli attacks while reporting on the conflict. In the West Bank, 607 Palestinians were killed by August 2024, primarily due to Israeli military raids. Additionally, the Palestinian Authority's offensive in Jenin resulted in the death of six PA soldiers, four Palestinian militants, and three civilians. During the Red Sea crisis, the Houthis have killed four sailors in the Red Sea, while in December 2023 U.S. strikes on Houthi boats in the Red Sea killed at least 10 Houthi members, and by the end of May 2024 the U.S. and U.K. airstrikes in Houthi-controlled Yemen had killed 56 people and injured 77 others. Five U.S. soldiers died in January 2024: two were lost at sea on a mission to seize Iranian weapons and three were killed in an IRI attack in Jordan that injured 47 others.


Political and legal impact

Prior to the outbreak of war, the United States had aimed to expand the 2020 Abraham Accords into a Arab–Israeli normalization, diplomatic normalization agreement Israel–Saudi Arabia relations, between Israel and Saudi Arabia that would likely include a defense agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. The U.S. had scheduled a negotiation between Netanyahu and a Saudi ambassador to take place in Tel Aviv in November 2023. However, the Hamas attack on 7 October and ensuing Israeli invasion of Gaza meant that the meeting could not take place. Later in 2024, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Mohamed bin Salman said that any Saudi–Israeli normalization agreement would require Palestinian statehood as part of a two-state solution.


United Nations

On 29 December 2023, South Africa brought South Africa's genocide case against Israel, a case against Israel before the
International Court of Justice The International Court of Justice (ICJ; , CIJ), or colloquially the World Court, is the only international court that Adjudication, adjudicates general disputes between nations, and gives advisory opinions on International law, internation ...
accusing Israel of Gaza genocide, committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip during the Gaza war, in violation of the Genocide Convention. South Africa requested that the ICJ order an immediate halt to Israel's military operations in Gaza among other Provisional measure of protection, provisional measures of protection. Israel has contended that its actions in Gaza are targeted only at Hamas and are in legitimate Self-defence in international law, self-defense in accordance with international law. On 26 January 2024, the ICJ said in a preliminary ruling that South Africa's allegations are "plausible" and that Israel must "take all measures within its power" to prevent genocide in Gaza. Prior to the January 2025 ceasefire that halted the Gaza war, the
United Nations Security Council The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, an ...
made numerous attempts to negotiate a Calls for a ceasefire during the Gaza war, ceasefire. The United States United Nations Security Council veto power, vetoed a February 2024 resolution demanding a ceasefire for not including a condemnation of the 7 October attack, and on 22 March Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-drafted resolution calling for an immediate six-week ceasefire conditional on the release of hostages. On 25 March, the UNSC passed United Nations Security Council Resolution 2728, Resolution 2728, which called for a ceasefire during the month of Ramadan, the "immediate and unconditional" release of all hostages, and the allowance of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The U.S. vetoed a later ceasefire resolution in November 2024, saying this was due to the fact that the resolution did not require the immediate release of all hostages.


See also

* Democracy in the Middle East and North Africa * List of modern conflicts in the Middle East


Notes


References


Citations


Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Middle Eastern crisis (2023-present) Middle Eastern crisis (2023–present), Conflicts in the Middle East 2020s conflicts