How Israel has redrawn the map since the October 7 terrorist attack
This article examines how Israel has expanded its military control over approximately 2,490 square kilometers of territory across Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, and Lebanon since October 2023. It highlights the creation of buffer zones and security infrastructure, noting that these actions have occurred in the absence of clearly defined national borders.
Why it matters
The expansion of military-controlled zones and the lack of defined borders significantly impact regional stability and the long-term geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.
Link copied Share Share article After years of war and widespread upheaval, one corner of the Middle East has fundamentally changed.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed, and many multiples more injured and displaced.
The devastating chain of events has resulted in the map of the region being redrawn, mostly shaped by the decisions of one country and enforcement by its military.
The Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 people being taken hostage .
It triggered a ferocious and grinding war in Gaza as Hamas and its partners were pursued for their crimes, and the explosion of fighting in Lebanon as Hezbollah opened fire on Israel in solidarity with Palestinians.
Large military operations were launched in the West Bank and an opportunity was seized in Syria after the collapse of a decades-long dictatorship in late 2024.
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