Lebanese militant group Hezbollah recently announced the election of 71-year-old Naim Qassem — Hezbollah’s long-time deputy secretary general — as the group’s new chief leader last week.

Israel has targeted United Nations (UN) peacekeepers in Southern Lebanon in recent attacks, injuring several and forcing entry into UN bases. 

Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of Australia, has recently urged Australian citizens in Lebanon to leave while they still can. An estimated 15,000 Australians remain in Lebanon after Israel initiated a ground operation in Hezbollah.

Tensions have skyrocketed after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike last week. Hezbollah and its allies vow retaliation, raising fears of a wider conflict as sides exchange strikes, threatening regional stability.

Pagers exploded simultaneously throughout Lebanon last week on September 17th in a shocking and coordinated attack on the Lebanese group Hezbollah. Though Israel has yet to claim responsibility for the attacks, the country’s involvement has been confirmed by multiple intelligence officials within Israel, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who proclaimed that Israel is “at the beginning of a new era in this war.”

The initial attack launched on Israel on Oct. 7 has affected citizens greatly, involving the deaths of Palestinians and Israelis as well as the brutalization of the environment in both countries. Further escalation is a cause for concern for associations such as the UN and the international community.