A barrage of rockets was fired at Israel from Gaza and Lebanon on Tuesday as the Israeli war with Hamas, which completed a year on October 7, continues to threaten a wider regional conflict. The Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, which is a crucial ally of Syria and Iran, responded with more strikes in northern Israel. At the same time, Israel expanded its operations into southern Lebanon and pounded the south’s suburbs.

The strikes caused panic in Beirut, where people fled homes after receiving automated calls, text messages, or broadcasts urging them to leave. Many schools and universities have been closed, and Lebanon’s depressed economy is under strain as it absorbs the displaced. Damon said that the crisis is also creating a new challenge for humanitarian workers trying to cope with the influx of displaced people. “We’re dealing with a massive displacement and a large number of families who are mourning the loss of their loved ones,” she said. “Sounds of rockets crashing into their houses have haunted them for the past week.”

Israel’s escalation in its war with Hezbollah, which it launched in response to a deadly Hamas attack on Israeli citizens during a major Jewish holiday last year, has rekindled fears that the two countries could enter a full-blown war. Israel has warned that Hezbollah is preparing for another attack, and it has increased its troop deployment near the border.

Hezbollah, which has fought Israel twice in the past, on October 7 and most recently on November 6, has promised to respond with a counterattack. “There is a clear threat of more attacks, and Hezbollah is in the process of preparing itself for a new round of retaliation,” Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman told parliament on Tuesday.

Lieberman accused Hezbollah of attacking civilians during its rocket attacks on Israel. Hezbollah, which Iran backs, has denied the accusation. In a televised speech on Monday, Hezbollah chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said the group had targeted an Israeli military intelligence base near Tel Aviv.

The attack was part of a series of strikes against “military sites” inside Israel, Nasrallah said. “The main target of the operation was the Glilot base of military intelligence unit 8200 on the outskirts of Tel Aviv,” he said.

Several Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have warned that Hezbollah is on the verge of a massive attack against Israel. They cite a new rocket launch from the northern part of the country and a report by the intelligence agency Mossad that says Hezbollah has increased its missile capabilities.

The United States and Israel’s other allies have urged both sides to stop the fighting, but neither appears willing to do so. The deteriorating situation in the Middle East, fueled by a cycle of hatred and revenge, is raising concerns about the possibility of an escalation that would draw in regional powers such as Russia, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and Iran.