Iran (Washington Insider Magazine) —Tensions surrounding the Iran-led ‘axis of resistance’ have intensified significantly in July, particularly following a series of attacks on Israel and the United States amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
On July 19, Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a drone attack on Tel Aviv, marking the first instance of Israeli casualties from such assaults. The strike resulted in the death of one civilian and injured at least eight others. The drone, dubbed ‘Yafa’ by the Houthis, was an enhanced version of their Sammad series, capable of flying approximately 2,600 kilometres—an unprecedented range for Houthi drones. In response, Israeli fighter jets conducted airstrikes on the port city of al-Hudayda in Yemen the following day, killing nine individuals and injuring over 80, while igniting massive fires in the city’s fuel storage facilities. These retaliatory strikes were Israel’s first against the Houthis since a series of drone and missile attacks targeting Israeli territory began in October 2023.
Meanwhile, the conflict extended to the Lebanese-Israeli border, where ongoing exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah escalated. On July 27, a projectile struck a football field in the Golan Heights, an area predominantly occupied by Druze communities, killing 12 children and youths. Although Hezbollah denied involvement, Israel attributed the attack to the Shiite militia, prompting a precision strike that killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in southern Beirut on July 30.
Just hours later, Ismail Haniyeh, the Chairman of Hamas’s Political Bureau, was killed in Tehran in an attack widely believed to be orchestrated by Israel. This assassination occurred following the inauguration of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, and marked a significant escalation in regional hostilities, coming on the heels of numerous targeted killings of commanders within the axis of resistance since October 7. Analysts anticipate a proportional response from Iran and its allies, likely aiming to avoid a direct attack on Israeli civilians to mitigate the risk of a broader conflict.
Additionally, the United States has faced its own challenges in the region. On July 30, US drones killed six fighters from Kataib Hizbullah in Iraq after the group targeted US forces stationed at Ain Assad Air Base with drone and shelling strikes. Concurrently, pro-Iran militias shelled the US military base at Koniko Gas Field in Syria multiple times without inflicting casualties. While Shiite militias increased their targeting of US positions in support of Gaza after October 7, these attacks significantly dwindled following US airstrikes in February.
The complex web of retaliatory actions underscores a rapidly evolving situation, with the potential for further escalation as various factions navigate the heightened tensions sparked by the ongoing conflict in Gaza.