Will normalcy return to Middle East any time soon? Perhaps not. As Israel battles Hamas and Hezbollah on multiple fronts, the region is facing its greatest upheaval in the region in decades. Israel vowed on the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks that it will continue to fight like before. It has further added that its goal in Gaza is to destroy Hamas and bring back the remaining hostages, but the goals are yet to be achieved a year into the war.
Israel has faced similar situations in its war against Hezbollah. Though Israel has intensified it’s attack on Hezbollah in recent days killing thousands of fighters and many top leaders, the Iran backed group has retaliated with full force thus prolonging the war even more.
Meanwhile, Israel had to intercept strikes from multiple directions on the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks, five from northern Gaza, another five from Lebanon and a surface-to-surface missile fired from Yemen.
What seems to further worsen the situation is that the US is not actively trying to revive an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal. On the other hand, it has resigned itself to trying to shape and limit Israeli operations in Lebanon and against Iran rather than halting hostilities.