Dangerous Games

As Israel and Hezbollah clash, the shadow of war grows

“All of this points to the Middle East trading one conflict for another. The war in Gaza might come to a standstill the moment a major escalation between Israel and Hezbollah takes place.”

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To get the full picture of the geopolitics playing out in the Middle East, read the following insights from Mr. Geopolitics: Iran Hacks America, Diplomacy Is Dead, and Iran’s Gamble.

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For weeks, the world has been trying to avoid a major escalation in the Middle East.

Two deteriorating flashpoints, interlinked in the background, Israel-Iran and Israel-Hezbollah, have raised the idea of a nightmarish regional war, especially if there is overlap (like Iran and Hezbollah attacking Israel together). Such fears have pushed the US and others into diplomatic overdrive along with new deterrence (military posturing).

However, the weekend clash between Israel and Hezbollah, a curveball, is not clear-cut, further complicating Middle Eastern geopolitics. It is either the start of a major confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah, with few safeguards. Or, it is the end of a chapter that began after Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah’s second-in-command, was killed in Beirut several weeks ago.

If it is the latter, it means a certain amount of pressure has been released from the “geopolitical kettle.”