Why the Israel-Iran Conflict Shapes the Middle East

The low-boil conflict between Israel and Iran has shaped the Middle East for decades. Of the many conflicts that have roiled the region, theirs has long been among the most explosive. The two have attacked each other — mostly quietly and in Iran’s case often by proxy — while avoiding an escalation into direct war.

The conflict entered a dangerous new phase with the outbreak of the current war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. That fight has drawn in other Iran-backed militant groups as well as Iran itself. Tensions increased in late September when Israeli forces assassinated of the leader of Hezbollah, Iran’s most prized regional ally, and moved into southern Lebanon as part of a campaign against the militia. On Oct. 1, the Israeli military said Iran had fired more than 100 missiles directly at the country in a major escalation.