When Hamas militants carried out a deadly cross-border raid on October 7, 2023, they sparked a war with Israel that devastated Gaza. They also unleashed shockwaves that transformed the Middle East in unexpected ways.
Powerful alliances have been upended. Long-established “red lines” have been crossed. A decades-old dictatorship in the heart of the region has been swept away.
Fifteen months after the October attacks, with a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas set to take effect on Sunday, here’s a look at how the region has been radically transformed.
Israel
Israel has reasserted its military dominance but may face heavy diplomatic and domestic costs.
The country’s leaders have treated attacks carried out by Hamas as an existential threat and are determined to defeat Hamas and weaken its main backer, Iran. Israel not only succeeded in weakening Hamas in Gaza, but also decimated the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah and dealt a major blow to Iran’s network of allies in the Middle East.
