CNN —In the days after Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, fears ran high of a regional war. The conflict would not be contained in Gaza, the thinking went – Hezbollah would attack Israel from the north, the Houthis from Yemen, and Iranian proxies from Iraq. Israel would be forced to respond, it would come into direct conflict with Iran, and the wider war would be upon us. A day after Iran launched its largest ever ballistic missile attack on Israel – and as Israeli troops battle Hezbollah fighters on the ground in Lebanon – regional war is effectively here. Now is the time that we can attack, because Iran is fully vulnerable.”Smoke rises following Israel's bombardment in southern Lebanon on Wednesday.

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Persons: Israel, Israel –, West Bank –, ”, Fatemeh Mohajerani, Ismail Haniyeh, Maya Alleruzzo, Benjamin Netanyahu, Nasrallah, ” Netanyahu, Hassan Nasrallah, Naftali Bennett, you’ve, ” Bennett, Baz Ratner, “, United States –, Jake Sullivan Organizations: CNN, West Bank, Israeli, Israel, Hamas, “, National Locations: Israel, Gaza, Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Damascus, Iranian, Palestinian, Tehran, Rosh Haayin, Beirut, “, Hezbollah, Syria, Hodeidah, United States