The death of the Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in an airstrike has dramatically weakened a key Iranian deterrent against its archenemy, Israel. Israel’s assassination of Mr. Nasrallah significantly raises the risk of a dangerous conflagration in the Middle East, and beyond. Iran has long sought to have the proxies it supports in the region — including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and forces in Syria, Yemen and Iraq — serve as the front line in its long-running fight with Israel. But if its most important military asset, Hezbollah, has been decimated, it may have no choice but to respond. The decisions it makes will have a significant impact on the next stage of a growing conflict that now threatens to engulf the region.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/28/world/middleeast/iran-hezbollah-israel-nasrallah-strike.html