War Tensions in Middle East between Iran and Israel

Conflict: The reports suggest the Benjamin Netanyahu-led
government can sanction a preemptive strike on Iran to prevent an
attack on Israeli soil.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned his G7 counterparts
that an Iranian and Hezbollah attack on Israel could start as early as
Monday, Axios reported. The Times of Israel, however, quoted that
the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may
authorize a pre-emptive attack on Iran so as to ward off any possible
attack from the latter on the former's homeland. Present at the
meeting were the top leaders of Mossad and Shin Bet. The chiefs of
these institutions have been David Barnea and Ronen Bar,
respectively. Also present were Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and
Chief of Staff of the IDF Herzi Halevi.

Hezbollah was formed in the early 1980s, having been established
under the watch of Iran to serve as the premier proxy force of Iran
within the Middle East. Gaining support and supplies from the IRGC,
Hezbollah follows Tehran's main ideology, drawing its main
constituency from the Lebanese Shiite Muslim community.
Saturday, Iran announced Hezbollah intends to step up its attacks on
Israel, striking deeper into the country and possibly targeting more
than just military targets. These tensions skyrocketed after Israel,
only recently, assassinated Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah military
commander. Israel hit a populated residential area of southern
Beirut on July 30, killing Shukr, along with five civilians.

The situation has been further blurred by the reported assassination
of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, which the Hamas

organization claimed was the work of Israel, though Israeli
authorities have not confirmed this.

Concerns have risen exponentially, as months of cross-border
skirmishes could now lead to an all-out war between Hezbollah and
Israel. The most recent major conflict between the two enemies
occurred in the summer of 2006, when Israel bombed Lebanon's only
passenger airport in Beirut.

The current intensity of the situation has prompted various
embassies, including that of India, to advise their citizens to leave
Lebanon while commercial flights are still available.

Hezbollah has been having near-daily exchanges of fire with Israeli
forces targeting military positions since its Palestinian ally Hamas
launched an attack on Israel on October 7 that sparked the ongoing
war in Gaza.
On the heels of these developments, Antony Blinken has reportedly
made a conference call with the G7 foreign ministers for a diplomatic
effort that can lower tensions.