One year after October 7th a wider war threatens middle east | BBC News

A year after the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7th 2023, the conflict is spreading.

The surprise attack on Israel by Hamas gunmen from Gaza, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostage, triggered a chain of violence and escalation.

Israel invaded Gaza with its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promising to destroy Hamas and release the hostages. At least 40,000 people have been killed there according to the Gaza authorities, most of them women and children. Many more are unaccounted for and much of Gaza lies in ruins.

Now Israel has begun a new invasion to the north in Lebanon, to crush Hezbollah and end its rocket attacks on Israel. Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah has been killed along with many senior commanders of the Iran-backed group. Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed many civilians and more than a million people have fled their homes.

The Houthis in Yemen – also backed by Iran – have been drawn into the conflict. They launched attacks on shipping in support of the Palestinians in Gaza. Israel has retaliated with airstrikes there too.

The gravest threat of a wider war is direct conflict between Iran and Israel. Israel has carried out a series of targeted assassinations including in the Iranian capital Teheran. Iran responded to the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon with missiles launched at Israel. Direct conflict between the two powers risks a full-blown regional war.

On the anniversary of the October 7th attacks, Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Jeremy Bowen and Hugo Bachega.

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