Israel

Background reviewed 2026-10-23 · Background as of 2026-10

Background

Since the Hamas-led attack of 7 October 2023, Israel has been involved in fighting on several fronts: in Gaza, with Hezbollah in Lebanon, with the Houthi movement in Yemen and directly with Iran. Rockets, missiles and drones launched towards Israel have caused damage and casualties, while Israeli strikes have reached several countries in the region.

Direct exchanges between Israel and Iran took place in April and October 2024, in a 12-day war in June 2025 and again during a wider war that began on 28 February 2026. A ceasefire with Hezbollah in November 2024 was followed by renewed large-scale fighting in Lebanon in March 2026.

This page covers events reported inside Israel. Events in Gaza and the West Bank appear on the Palestine page.

History

Israel declared independence in May 1948 and fought wars with neighbouring Arab states in 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973. Peace treaties followed with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994, and in 2020 the Abraham Accords normalised relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and later Morocco, with Sudan also signing.

Conflict with Palestinian armed groups and with Hezbollah in Lebanon has continued in different forms for decades, including two Palestinian uprisings (intifadas), Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon until 2000 and the 2006 war with Hezbollah. Rivalry with Iran, including over Iran’s nuclear programme and its support for allied armed groups, has been a central security concern since the 1990s.

Main parties

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) — Israel’s military, including air defence systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow.
Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups — Fought Israel in and around Gaza.
Hezbollah — Lebanese armed group and political party.
Iran and aligned groups — Including the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) in Yemen and armed groups in Iraq.

Key dates

1948-05-14 — The State of Israel is declared.
2023-10-07 — Hamas-led attack on southern Israel; Israel declares war.
2024-04-13 — Iran launches its first direct missile and drone attack on Israel.
2024-11-27 — Israel–Hezbollah ceasefire takes effect.
2025-06-13 — Israel begins strikes on Iran, starting a 12-day war; a ceasefire takes effect on 24 June.
2025-10-10 — Gaza ceasefire takes effect.
2026-02-28 — The United States and Israel begin strikes on Iran; Iran responds with missile and drone attacks on Israel and Gulf states.
2026-03-02 — Hezbollah fires rockets into northern Israel; Israel later expands operations in Lebanon.

Humanitarian situation

Tens of thousands of residents of communities near the Gaza and Lebanon borders were evacuated from their homes for long periods after October 2023. Missile and drone alerts have repeatedly disrupted daily life across the country.

How to read reports about Israel

Most missiles and drones are reported as intercepted; we map an event only when two independent outlets report damage at a known place.
Military censorship rules in Israel can limit or delay reporting of impact locations.

Recent events

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