IntelBrief: Israel Struggles to Contain the Conflict as Adversaries Seek to Open New Fronts

Bottom Line Up Front

• As the war between Israel and Hamas stretches into its fifth consecutive day, Israel is attempting to keep the conflict contained to prevent further escalation that could bring Hezbollah or Iran into the fight.
• Sending a carrier strike group to the Middle East serves as an unequivocal message that the U.S. is firmly behind Israel, yet the so-called “axis of resistance,” led by Iran, responded by issuing its own red lines and threatened to target U.S. interests with missiles and drones if Washington intervenes.
• The risks of escalation in the conflict are severe, with Israel concerned that Lebanese Hezbollah could join the fray, opening up a new front near the Golan Heights, which would significantly complicate Israel’s military force posture.
• Along with increased airstrikes on Gaza, Israel has blocked electricity, food, water, and fuel from going into the territory, compounding the difficulty of humanitarian efforts for civilians and making an already dire humanitarian situation worse.