War

 Washington Post: Israel’s clash with Hezbollah strains U.S. effort to prevent wider war - The absence of a full-blown war in Lebanon has been touted as a core achievement, but now Washington’s grip on the crisis appears more tenuous than ever. By John Hudson

Washington’s effort to urge de-escalation has been met with increasingly brazen assaults by its ally Israel and deadly rocket and missile volleys by Iranian-backed Hezbollah and Houthi militants — all of which threaten ongoing efforts to forge a deal to pause the fighting in Gaza and secure the release of hostages taken from Israel a year ago.