The tragic background of the year was continuous Israeli airstrikes against Hamas in Gaza; the plight of captured Palestinians; and the suffering of Israeli hostages and their families.
But what changed the game was a much bigger offensive: Israel against its arch-nemesis, Iran.
In September, speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “I have a message for the tyrants of Tehran: if you strike us, we will strike you.”
Armed with billions of dollars worth of American weapons, Israel attacked Iran's puppet militia, Hezbollah, in Lebanon with ground and aerial forces.
Israel also killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and detonated hundreds of pagers that left Hezbollah fighters dismembered and demoralized.
Earlier this month, Ayatollah Khamenei put on a brave face, telling his supporters: “With the divine power of God … our resistance will now expand.”
But the regime is humiliated. Even the hundreds of cruise missiles fired by Iran at Israel were mostly intercepted and caused little damage.
Tehran also lost in Syria when its ally, dictator Bashar al-Assad, was toppled by Islamist militants who stormed major cities and declared victory.
2024 has been a year of seismic change in the Middle East, and one thing is certain: the region will never be the same.
Add to the mix Donald Trump, whose foreign policy will be (to say the least) disruptive, and 2025 could offer either a fragile peace … or disaster.
The plot was prepared by Mark Hudspeth. Editor: Chad Cardin.
