Amid Israel’s effort to return tens of thousands of its citizens to their homes in the north, the Jewish state reportedly launched an operation to knock out Hezbollah’s infrastructure in Lebanon.

As dozens of walkie-talkies exploded across Lebanon on Wednesday – a day after blasts targeted the pagers of Hezbollah members injured thousands – Israel has said a “new era” of war is beginning, tacitly acknowledging its role in the shock operation which has pushed the region back to the brink of wider conflict.

What strategic purpose did it serve? And what effect is it likely to have on the various conflicts in the region?