The Israel-Hamas war continues to rage on in Gaza since its start in late 2023. As the conflict persists in the Middle East, many are starting to worry about the war expanding into other countries. As Israel refuses to de-escalate tensions with Hamas, citizens in Gaza continue to suffer while those in neighboring countries feel the pressure building in from the war.  

As the global political climate shifts and becomes more uncertain because of the war, Yemen is beginning to be particularly affected. The Houthi movement, an Islamic military group, began attacking ships passing through the Red Sea at the start of the war. The Houthis, however, are taking credit for the attacks in an attempt to pressure Israel into halting attacks in Gaza. Their actions in the Red Sea have brought American attention towards the Houthi rebels—the United States is retaliating against the rebel’s continued attacks with ballistic missile strikes. 

Following the continued Houthi attacks, political tensions are rising between many other nations. France has opted out of strikes with the U.S. to prevent escalation in Yemen as U.S. strikes continue in the country. 

“U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration plans to put Houthi rebels back on a U.S list of terrorism organizations,” reported Phil Stewart, a writer for Reuters.

The Israel Hamas conflict has also recently branched out into Lebanon, as a leading Hamas commander was killed in an airstrike on the nation’s capital. Israel denied responsibility for the airstrike that night against Saleh Arouri and six other Hamas members killed in the blast. Because Israel failed to claim responsibility for the strike, its repercussions can further serve to raise political tensions. 

“It had all the hallmarks of an Israeli attack. Both Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group immediately blamed Israel and could soon respond,” said Melanie Lidman for AP news. 

Slowly but surely, the effects of the Israel-Hamas war are spreading to nearby countries. With political tensions rising, many are justifiably concerned about the further expansion of conflict. Recent hostilities have been credited to Israel because of their refusal to de-escalate the conflict. If the war continues this way, there is a strong possibility that the conflict will spill over into a larger zone.