As cross-border attacks between Israel and Lebanon increase, the threat of an all-out regional war with Hamas ally Hezbollah becomes a greater possibility.

Beirut

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is 'at war' following a surprise attack from Gaza by Hamas militants.

Israel-Gaza War

First part:

Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have escalated, leading to increased fears of a regional conflict. First responders in northern Israel are frequently dealing with fires caused by missiles launched from Lebanon, often in dry, forested areas. Fire Chief Jor Bunek highlights the intensity of the situation as they navigate through impacted areas, including a recent missile strike in a closed military zone which injured an Israeli soldier.

Bus driver Avi Abraham has been displaced from his home in Kiryat Shmona for seven months due to missile attacks. He expresses a hope for peace, contrasting with Yaakov Naftali, who advocates for military action, believing political solutions offer only temporary respite. Analysts are skeptical that a ground offensive in southern Lebanon, which some have suggested, would bring long-term security to Israel's north.

The ongoing cross-border attacks and heated rhetoric from both sides have already displaced tens of thousands of residents along the border. The volatile situation raises concerns about the potential for a broader regional conflict, with questions about the effectiveness of military solutions in achieving lasting peace.

Second part:
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Tensions between Israel, Hezbollah spark fears of a wider war

First responders shifting into action at a fire station in northern Israel. Their work these days, mostly fighting fires that can start from missiles fired by Hezbollah in Lebanon and landing in dry forest. Fire Chief Jor Bunek is letting us ride along. We're going right now where is the missiles. But whatever it is that's come down has done so in a closed military zone and we're out of the chase. We catch up later in a patch of scorched wood burnt after a missile landed three weeks ago. Lebanon is there behind the mountains. This is Lebanon. And you say that's about four or five kilometers? Five kilometers. He tells us the earlier alert was a Hezbollah drone that exploded or was exploded. An Israeli soldier apparently injured. As the cross-border attacks increase in both directions so too does the rhetoric from both sides. The fear is the situation here is so tense it could easily escalate into a full-on regional war. Tens of thousands of people living along both sides of the border have already been displaced for months. Bus driver Avi Abraham has been living in a hotel for seven months now. A great view but not home. Home is Kiryat Shmona where a missile hit his house. He says he's hoping for a peace agreement not a war. Yaakov Naftali prefers military action. A political solution could give us quiet for a year, two years maybe he says but the problem would return. Even if Israel were to launch a ground offensive in southern Lebanon as some Israelis have advocated analysts say it wouldn't guarantee safety for Israel's north. The problem is once again as it is in Gaza. What are you trying to achieve? What is the the end state that you want to achieve? And I don't think we'll be able to reach a stable end state by military means. Hard not to see the forest when you've lost so many trees. Margaret Evans, CBC News, northern Israel.

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Israel-Gaza War