The main questions now are how much the conflict will escalate and whether the United States will get more directly involved in the defense of Israel.
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Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted rockets after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles on Tuesday.
The long-feared “wider war” in the Middle East is here.
For the last 360 days, since the images of the slaughter of about 1,200 people in Israel last Oct. 7 flashed around the world, President Biden has warned at every turn against allowing a terrorist attack by Hamas to spread into a conflict with Iran’s other proxy, Hezbollah, and ultimately with Iran itself.
Now, after Israel assassinated the Hezbollah chief, Hassan Nasrallah, and began a ground invasion of Lebanon, and after Iran retaliated on Tuesday by launching nearly 200 missiles at Israel, it has turned into one of the region’s most dangerous moments since the Arab-Israeli War of 1967.
The main questions now are how much the conflict might escalate and whether the United States will get more directly involved.
The past few days may be a turning point. Since Israel killed Mr. Nasrallah on Friday, the Biden administration has been shifting from cautioning against a wider war to trying to manage it. Officials have defended Israel’s right to strike back at Iran, but are advising against direct attacks on its nuclear facilities that could tip the conflict out of control.
A month of escalating air attacks
Israel is fighting four adversaries across the Middle East: Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen and Iran.
LEBANON
Israel escalated air attacks on Lebanon and killed Hezbollah’s leader. Hezbollah retaliated with rocket fire.
AIR ATTACKS
Iran
Iran fired about 180 missiles at Israel on Tuesday night. Israel is expected to respond.
ISRAEL
GAZA
Israel continues to regularly strike Gaza.
SAUDI
ARABIA
RED SEA
EGYPT
YEMEN
The Houthis fired a missile at Tel
Aviv. Israeli airstrikes destroyed
Houthi targets, including a
power station and a seaport.
SUDAN
ETHIOPIA
250 miles
LEBANON
Israel escalated air attacks on Lebanon and killed Hezbollah’s leader. Hezbollah retaliated with rocket fire.
TURKEY
AIR ATTACKS
SYRIA
IRAN
Iran fired about 180 missiles at Israel on Tuesday night. Israel is expected to respond.
IRAQ
GAZA
Israel continues to
regularly strike Gaza.
ISRAEL
QATAR
EGYPT
RED SEA
U.A.E.
SAUDI
ARABIA
OMAN
SUDAN
YEMEN
The Houthis fired a missile at Tel Aviv.
Israeli airstrikes destroyed Houthi targets,
including a power station and a seaport.
ETHIOPIA
250 miles
LEBANON
Israel escalated air attacks on Lebanon and killed Hezbollah’s leader. Hezbollah retaliated with rocket fire.
AIR ATTACKS
Iran
Iran fired about 180 missiles at Israel on Tuesday night. Israel is expected to respond.
GAZA
Israel continues to regularly strike Gaza.
ISRAEL
Qatar
RED SEA
EGYPT
SAUDI
ARABIA
U.A.E.
OMAN
SUDAN
YEMEN
The Houthis fired a missile at Tel Aviv.
Israeli airstrikes destroyed Houthi targets,
including a power station and a seaport.
ETHIOPIA
250 miles
By Josh Holder and Leanne Abraham
This is the spiral that Mr. Biden has cautioned against but has not been able to stop, even with major American forces in the region.
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Source: nytimes.com
