The current conflict in Israel has been in its elevated state for almost a year. The catalyst of the recent fighting in the Middle East started on Oct.7, 2023. Around 6:30 am Hamas started by firing a huge barrage of rockets into southern Israel. Hamas launched 2,500 to 5,000 rockets. Soldiers with the Israeli military said at 7:40 am Palestinian soldiers had crossed into Israel. Most soldiers breached security barriers separating Gaza and Israel, but at least one Hamas soldier was filmed flying over the barrier in what is known as a powered parachute. It is believed that  Palestinian soldiers took some Israeli military as hostages at this point. At 9:45 am blasts were heard in Gaza and at 10:00 am, an Israeli military spokesperson said the air force was carrying out attacks in Gaza.

Update from September 24, 2024. Exchanging fire with Hezbollah, the Israeli military has expanded its offensive. In an intense campaign of air raids, it targeted 1,600 sites in one day alone. Israel said it was hitting Hezbollah military positions, but homes and buildings across southern and eastern Lebanon were damaged, and hundreds of civilians, including children, were killed. The thousands of bombs that have been dropped over Lebanon by a fleet of Israeli aircraft have also destroyed many homes and other civilian infrastructure and killed paramedics and journalists.