Egypt

Israel

Lebanon

Palestinian Territories

Energy

Military & Security

U.S. energy giant Chevron Corp. announced that it resumed supplying customers from Israel's Tamar natural gas field, whose platform had been shut down after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack for precautionary reasons, Reuters reported on Nov. 13.

Israel: Chevron Resumes Gas Supply From Israel's Tamar Gas Field, Easing Egypt's Gas Crunch

Iran

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanon's political and militant group Hezbollah, said in a nationwide speech that Hezbollah would not escalate the Israel-Hamas war immediately but would respond to future provocations, The Times of Israel reported on Nov. 3. 

Lebanon: Hezbollah Says It Will Not Escalate the Israel-Hamas War Without Provocation

Politics

On Nov. 3, the leader of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, will give his first public address since the Hamas-Israel war began earlier this month, The Times of Israel reported Oct. 31.

Israel, Lebanon: Hezbollah Leader to Give First Speech Since Gaza Conflict

Israel announced that it will evacuate 28 communities along its border with Lebanon due to continued intermittent rocket attacks from the Lebanese militant and political group Hezbollah, The Times of Israel reported on Oct. 16.

Israel, Lebanon: Border Communities to Evacuate in Advance of Potential Northern Front Opening

United States

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ordered civilians to evacuate Gaza City, which has a population of 1 million people, as its forces prepare for a ground invasion, The Times of Israel reported on Oct. 13.

Israel, Gaza: Israel Orders Evacuation of Northern Gaza as Invasion Looms

Syria

Israeli airstrikes hit Syria's international airports in Damascus and Aleppo, causing both airports to close, Reuters reported on Oct. 12.

Israel, Syria: Israeli Airstrikes in Syria Damage Airports, Disrupt Iranian Aerial Supply Lines

The Lebanese militant and political group Hezbollah deployed special forces and positioned rockets on the country's southern border amid Israel's war in Gaza, Reuters reported on Oct. 11.

Israel, Lebanon: Hezbollah Mobilizes as Poll Reveals Outrage in Israel

Lebanese and Israeli forces exchanged tear gas fire along their shared border in the disputed Shebaa Farms region, but there were no reports of casualties, AP reported on Sept. 23.

Lebanon, Israel: Soldiers Exchange Tear Gas Fire Along Border Area

Assessments

A picture taken from southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip on Dec. 4, 2023, shows smoke lingering over the Palestinian territory following Israeli bombardment amid continuing battles between Israel and the militant group Hamas.

Economics

Israel's forthcoming military operations in southern Gaza signal that the war is reaching its final stages, though problems in the Gaza Strip are far from over.

The Israel-Hamas War's Final Phase?

Israeli forces prepare to fire artillery toward the Gaza Strip on Oct. 30, 2023, in Netivot, Israel. 

While it so far doesn't amount to a full-scale invasion, Israel's expanding ground incursion into Gaza still raises the risk of Iranian retaliation, as well as more violence in the West Bank and Israel.

The 'Second Phase' of Israel's War in Gaza Has Begun. What Now?

Lebanese security forces use water cannons as they clash with protesters outside the U.S. embassy near Beirut on Oct. 18, 2023, during a demonstration in solidarity with Palestinians amid the latest Hamas-Israel war.

U.S.-Iran Relations

Regardless of their veracity, allegations of Israel's involvement in the tragedy will complicate U.S. efforts to avoid an expanded conflict in the region.

The Gaza Hospital Blast Risks Widening the War and Fueling Radicalism

Saudi Arabia

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian holds a press conference at the Iranian embassy in the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Oct. 14, 2023. 

Iran's recent warnings indicate a growing risk of the conflict expanding beyond its current geographic scope, with Tehran able to use multiple mechanisms to attack Israel and the West.

Iran Threatens to Join the Gaza War, Fueling Fears of an Expanded Conflict

Bahrain

Iraq

Jordan

Kuwait

Morocco

Oman

Qatar

Tunisia

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

Students from the American University of Beirut (AUB) rally in support of Palestinians outside the main gate of the university in the Lebanese capital on Oct. 9, 2023. 

Social Issues

Israel's likely ground invasion in Gaza will alienate many Muslims in the Middle East, pressuring their governments to respond in support of Palestinians.

Gauging the Regional Response to the Gaza Conflict

Israeli forces launch artillery fire toward southern Lebanon from the border zone in northern Israel on Oct. 9, 2023, while Hezbollah denied involvement in clashes or ''any infiltration attempt'' into Israel.

The latest clashes between Israel and Hezbollah suggest that the constraints on direct confrontation are weakening, threatening to worsen political and economic conditions in Lebanon and significantly increase security threats in both countries.

The Growing Risk of an Israel-Hezbollah Escalation

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem on Sept. 27, 2023. 

Israel's new unity government will give the military the political support it needs to fight another war in Gaza and potentially Lebanon. But fractures will quickly emerge once the conflict ends. 

Israel's Political Rivals Come Together in the Face of War

Snapshots

Damage caused by Israeli airstrikes Oct. 7, 2023, in Gaza City, Gaza, in response to a Hamas-led incursion into Israel. A large-scale Hamas attack threatens to significantly escalate conflict between Israel and the militant groups. 

Violence could spread from Gaza to the West Bank, and attacks from Lebanon and unrest within Israel proper are also possible.

How the Hamas Surprise Attack From Gaza on Israel Could Play Out

Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri (top-C) opens the National Assembly's first of 12 failed sessions to elect a new president in Beirut on Sept. 29, 2022.

Lebanon's economic crisis is set to worsen amid ongoing political divisions, although a few extreme events could force lawmakers to break their impasse.

Short of Unlikely Political Compromise, Lebanon's Economy Will Continue to Spiral

Niger

Colombia

China

A demonstration July 27, 2022, in Niamey, Niger, after a coup. The Economic Community of West African States is expected to discuss the July 26 coup in Niger next week, with French officials saying an extraordinary summit could occur July 30.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: ECOWAS Considers Its Response to Niger, Drama at Lebanon's Central Bank Deepens

A section of the Lebanese-Israeli border is seen near the village of Shtula in northern Israel on April 6, 2023. 

The attacks coincide with rising unrest in Israeli cities and the West Bank that could embolden the hawkish, far-right members of Israel’s new government.

In Israel, Rocket Fire From Lebanon Risks Spurring a Major Escalation

Angola

Mozambique

Republic of the Congo

Algeria

Libya

Europe

Cyprus

Italy

Ukraine

Russia

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (2nd L) and Libya's Tripoli-based Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah (3rd L) attend an agreement-signing ceremony between Italian multinational oil and gas company Eni and the Libyan National Oil Corporation in Tripoli, Libya, on Jan. 28, 2023.

As Europe turns away from Russian energy, Italy positions itself as a natural gas conduit between the Continent and Africa.

With Energy Deals in Africa, Italy Positions Itself as Europe's Next Gas Hub

Lebanon is a small country wedged against the Mediterranean Sea, with Syria to its east and Israel to its south. The country is divided by the western Lebanon Mountains and the eastern Anti-Lebanon Mountains, which also run through Syria. These mountains produce three geographic and climate ranges for the country: hot and dry in the east and mild and wetter in the west, with the fertile Bekaa Valley in the midlands providing much of the country's agriculture. The cluster of mountains itself is friendly to the growth of cedar trees, the country's national icon.    Because of its small size, Lebanon is forced to import much of the food it needs to feed its population. Thus it has long been a center of trade, with coastal cities like Beirut acting as gateways for east-wide trade routes. It's a necessity for Lebanon to keep access to these trade routes. However, because the country is so small, outside powers have found it very easy to exert influence, especially given Lebanon's internal demographic divisions. Foreign powers can often find allies in Lebanon, though they rarely can find enough friendly forces to control the entire country, leading to frequent split governments and regular civil strife.     Lebanon's greatest challenge, therefore, is to keep access to its trade routes while balancing its own divisions, which are manipulated by outside powers. It has not always succeeded, and the country's 1975-1990 civil war is only the latest major conflict that has arisen from these conditions. In the future, Lebanon will continue to struggle with precariously balancing its small size, its divided population and its ambitious neighbors. 

SITUATION REPORTS

Israel: Chevron Resumes Gas Supply From Israel's Tamar Gas Field, Easing Egypt's Gas Crunch

Lebanon: Hezbollah Says It Will Not Escalate the Israel-Hamas War Without Provocation

Israel, Lebanon: Hezbollah Leader to Give First Speech Since Gaza Conflict

Israel, Lebanon: Border Communities to Evacuate in Advance of Potential Northern Front Opening

Israel, Gaza: Israel Orders Evacuation of Northern Gaza as Invasion Looms

Israel, Syria: Israeli Airstrikes in Syria Damage Airports, Disrupt Iranian Aerial Supply Lines

Israel, Lebanon: Hezbollah Mobilizes as Poll Reveals Outrage in Israel

Lebanon, Israel: Soldiers Exchange Tear Gas Fire Along Border Area

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