A UAV that flew into Israel from Lebanon shot down by a fighter jet of the Israeli Defense Forces on 25 August 2024.

Why Did Israel Launch a Pre-Emptive Strike on Southern Lebanon?

The escalation has raised concerns of a broader conflict in the region, as Israel declared a 48-hour state of emergency and placed restrictions on public gatherings and transport across the northern regions. Both sides have signalled that further actions may be taken, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to protect the nation at all costs, while Hezbollah indicated that their response to ‘Israel’s provocations’ was only beginning.

Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint near the Gaza border fence on 7 April, exactly six months after the 7 October Hamas massacre.

Hungary Defends Israel Against ICJ’s Biased Advisory Opinion

In an official statement of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Hungarian government expressed its disagreement with the recent findings of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, according to which Israel’s presence in the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem is ‘unlawful’, while Israel’s ‘policies and practices’ in the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem, including ‘the maintenance and expansion of settlements’, amount to the ‘annexation of large parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.’

Escalation Threatens Middle East as Israel Retaliates Against Yemeni Houthis

The level of escalation in the Middle East has risen significantly after Israel struck a Houthi-controlled port in Yemen over the weekend, marking the first such attack since the war between Hamas and Israel broke out last October. The retaliatory strike follows a deadly drone attack by the Yemeni Houthis on Tel Aviv.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomes Viktor Orbán in Kyiv on 2 July 2024.

Hungarian Aspirations to Mediate in the War and the Changing Relationship between Hungary and Ukraine

In December last year a new law created a distinct category for ‘EU minorities’ in Ukraine (such as the Hungarian and Romanian ethnic minorities) that now have access to more privileges than for instance the Russian minority. Later, as a sign of goodwill to better relations, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó visited Ukraine. Now, with the meeting between Orbán and Zelenskyy the two country’s relationship is officially warming up. If in the long-term Budapest does manage to considerably contribute to peace between Russia and Ukraine, as it clearly intends to, it might have a long-lasting positive impact on bilateral relations.

Hungary Is Allegedly Considering Leaving the International Criminal Court

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has allegedly instructed his three ministers to examine the consequences of leaving the International Criminal Court (ICC), with a particular focus on the implications for the European Union. This decision is likely prompted by the ICC Chief Prosecutor’s request in May for the issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Wastewater, rubble and completely destroyed residential buildings are seen after the IDF withdrew following its attacks in Khan Yunis, Gaza on 1 July 2024.

The Reason Israel has Failed to Stop Hamas

‘Incidentally, Netanyahu’s failure is not because the Biden administration is withholding weapons. The heart of the issue is the Islamic indoctrination of Palestinian Muslims. Just like organized crime in southern Italy, whether it is called the Mafia or the ‘Ndrangheta, capturing and imprisoning the militants or killing them will not end Hamas.’

Hezbollah Threatens Cyprus with War, EU with a Wave of Refugees

Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah threatens to use Syrian refugees as a political weapon while also warning Cyprus of a possible attack if the island nation assists Israel militarily. The group’s ability to manipulate refugee flows and its readiness to use military force against EU member states necessitate an effective and coordinated response from the European Union.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) with his wife Sarah behind him, signs the visitor's book on the Great Wall of China at the Badaling Pass just north of Beijing, 27 May 1998

HAIKU States, Trade Leagues, and Hungary in the Multipolar Era

‘The HAIKU states present a novel approach to exploring and understanding how statesmen and national leaders can navigate a dynamically changing global political landscape, marked by shifts in power balances, evolving alliances, and heightened strategic competition.’