Will There Be a Wider War in the Middle East?

How Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, Qatar, and other countries in the region are watching Israel’s war on Hamas.

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As Israel continues its war on Hamas, and as the number of civilian casualties in Gaza rises, neighboring countries are on edge. From Israel’s north, in Lebanon, the militant Islamist group Hezbollah has already launched a small number of rocket attacks, with “all options” on the table, according to a speech by the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, on Friday. To the east, there’s Iran, which backs Hezbollah and also Hamas, and has been making ominous public statements against Israel. South of Israel, beyond Saudi Arabia, there’s Yemen: Evidence indicates that Houthi rebels there may have been responsible for an intercepted missile attack headed toward Israel. And meanwhile, to Israel’s southwest, there’s Egypt, which is worried about a potential influx of Palestinian refugees.

Ravi Agrawal is the editor in chief of Foreign Policy. Twitter: @RaviReports

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A young girl is silhouetted as she stands behind the metal mesh that covered the window of a building that was hit by Israeli bombardment in the southern Gaza. In front of her is a scene of destruction with the rubble of crumbled buildings and an excavator sifting through the piles.
A young girl is silhouetted as she stands behind the metal mesh that covered the window of a building that was hit by Israeli bombardment in the southern Gaza. In front of her is a scene of destruction with the rubble of crumbled buildings and an excavator sifting through the piles.

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A large crowd gathers to watch a televised speech by Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Hezbollah, in Lebanon. The leader wears a black robe and head covering and gestures as he speaks. Text is seen on the screen next to and on sides above him with flags waving amid the crowd.
A large crowd gathers to watch a televised speech by Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Hezbollah, in Lebanon. The leader wears a black robe and head covering and gestures as he speaks. Text is seen on the screen next to and on sides above him with flags waving amid the crowd.

Hezbollah’s Nasrallah Tries to Walk a Fine Line on Israel-Hamas War

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A large crowd gathers to watch a televised speech by Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Hezbollah, in Lebanon. The leader wears a black robe and head covering and gestures as he speaks. Text is seen on the screen next to and on sides above him with flags waving amid the crowd.
A large crowd gathers to watch a televised speech by Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Hezbollah, in Lebanon. The leader wears a black robe and head covering and gestures as he speaks. Text is seen on the screen next to and on sides above him with flags waving amid the crowd.

Hezbollah’s Nasrallah Tries to Walk a Fine Line on Israel-Hamas War

In his long-awaited speech, the Lebanese militant leader avoided committing Hezbollah to a bigger role in the conflict.

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