The low-boil conflict between Israel and Iran has shaped the Middle East for decades. Of the many conflicts that have roiled the region, theirs has long been among the most explosive. The two have attacked each other — mostly quietly and in Iran’s case often by proxy — while avoiding an escalation into direct war.

Israel said it struck Hezbollah targets in Beirut, as the Iran-backed militant group fired a volley of rockets at Tel Aviv. The exchange comes as top US diplomat Antony Blinken is in Israel for cease-fire talks.

Opponents and supporters of Israel’s offensive against Iran’s armed allies are offering clashing ideas about what the U.S. should do next.