With Israel’s attack on Lebanon, the prospect of peace seems even further out of reach | Simon Tisdall

Both Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar gain from stoking the fires of war. That could be perilous for all of us

The abrupt, deeply alarming weekend escalation in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon is exactly what the US, France and Britain have been working desperately to prevent ever since Israel's assassination of the Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran almost a month ago.

The renewed violence, which appears to have abated quickly but could plainly flare up again at any moment, represents a potentially serious setback for international peace efforts. It is a further blow in particular to US president Joe Biden, whose hopes of a wider Middle East settlement before he leaves office are in tatters.

Simon Tisdall is the Observer's foreign affairs commentator

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