The tragic background of the year was Israel’s incessant airstrikes on Hamas in Gaza; the misery of the captured Palestinians; and the torment of the Israeli hostages and their families.
But the turning point was a much larger offensive: Israel taking on its arch-enemy Iran.
In September, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly: “I have a message to the tyrants of Tehran: If you beat us, we will beat you.”
Armed with billions of dollars worth of American weapons, Israel attacked the Iranian puppet militia Hezbollah in Lebanon with ground troops and from the air.
Israel also assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and booby-trapped hundreds of pagers, dismembering and demoralizing Hezbollah fighters.
Putting on a brave face, Ayatollah Khamenei told his followers earlier this month: “With the divine power of God… our resistance will now become greater.”
But the regime was humiliated. Even the hundreds of cruise missiles Iran fired at Israel were largely intercepted and caused little damage.
Tehran also lost in Syria when its ally, dictator Bashar al-Assad, was toppled by Islamist fighters who entered key cities and declared victory.
2024 has been a year of seismic change in the Middle East, and only one thing is certain: the region will never be the same again.
Add to that Donald Trump, whose foreign policy will be (at least) destructive, and 2025 could bring either a fragile peace or catastrophe.
The story was produced by Mark Hudspeth. Editor: Chad Cardin.
