Will the US follow Israel into a full-blown war in the Middle East?

Israel’s war on Gaza has been raging for more than a year, killing 42,500 people, reducing much of the enclave to rubble and heightening concerns of escalation in the region. Fears have increased further since the Israeli army intensified deadly strikes on Lebanon in recent weeks, killing hundreds of civilians.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Lebanon could face destruction “like Gaza” if Hezbollah continues its actions. Moreover, after Iran’s launch of more than 200 ballistic missiles at Israel on October 1 — most of which were intercepted, causing only “minor damage” — Israel is expected to strike against Iran.

With the United States now deploying troops to help bolster Israel’s air defences, could the country’s relentless bombing campaign ignite a broader regional or even a global war?

This week on UpFront, Marc Lamont Hill discusses the current tensions and potential for a full-scale war in the Middle East with historian Assal Rad and As’ad Abukhalil, a professor of political science at California State University Stanislaus.