1 year into Gaza fighting, is the Middle East heading towards an all-out war?

1 year into Gaza fighting, is the Middle East heading towards an all-out war?

After Palestinian militant group Hamas carried out the deadliest attack in Israeli history on 7 October 2023, Israel responded with a devastating military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

A year into the war, Israel's air and ground operation has killed more than 41,700 people, according to the Hamas-ruled territory's health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.

The war has left much of the besieged territory in ruins and has left its population of 2.4 million facing a dire humanitarian crisis.

Fighting is now also spreading to other fronts in the region, notably to Lebanon, where Israel's battle with Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah is intensifying.

The conflict risks spiralling even further out of control, after Iran sparked panic when it sent 200 missiles into Israel on 1 October.