Dangers to the Middle East continue to grow with strikes on Lebanon. De-escalation through escalation is not a strategy, just wishful thinking

For almost a year now, the danger of a wider regional conflagration has shadowed the spiralling death toll in Gaza. The escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, which was feared from the beginning, has happened, month by month. Israel’s military says that it is “not looking for wars”. This is not yet the all-out ground conflict that many have anticipated. But with more than 550 already dead in Israel’s strikes on alleged Hezbollah targets in Lebanon – including 50 children and 94 women, according to health authorities – what is this if not a war?

Opening the UN general assembly in New York, the secretary general, António Guterres, rightly warned that the world “cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza”. Even if Israel intended this week’s assault as a substitute for, rather than precursor to, a ground invasion, it cannot predict the consequences.