Lebanon President Calls for US Help After Deadly Israeli Strikes The Middle East has been plunged into chaos as Israel's military strikes on Lebanon have left a trail of destruction and death in their wake.
The Lebanese president's call for US assistance is the latest development in a conflict that has its roots in centuries old animosity between Jews and Muslims, exacerbated by competing claims over the same land.
Background to the Conflict The 1948 Arab Israeli War led to a long standing Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, which ended with the withdrawal of Israeli forces in 2000.