Now for a look at the wider region, let's# turn to our special correspondent in Lebanon,## a country being dragged back into conflict# as Hezbollah has resumed attacks on Israel.

Simona Foltyn is coming to us from the# outskirts of the capital city of Beirut.

And, Simona, we know those Hezbollah# attacks on Israel come more than a## year after a cease-fire deal that went# into place after the 2024 war, a war## that left Hezbollah very much weakened.# Why would they decide to attack now?

SIMONA FOLTYN: Well, Amna, Hezbollah would# have weighed its domestic interests with## its desire or duty to support its# main regional ally and backer, Iran.

And based on this reaction, it seems# that the latter interests prevailed.## Now, there is a big question mark about the# military value of this attack.

It was pretty## symbolic.

The rockets were intercepted# and inflicted very limited, if any damage## on the Israeli side, whereas the IDF's# response was much more devastating.

Now, of course,## as you mentioned, Hezbollah has been significantly# we.. AMNA NAWAZ: You mentioned that IDF response to# the Hezbollah latest attacks.

They have killed## more than 50 people in and around# Beirut, tens of thousands of people## again being displaced from Southern# Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs.

Tell us a little bit more about the impact# and also the reaction from inside Lebanon.

SIMONA FOLTYN: Well, the impact# has been quite devastating,## especially for Hezbollah's own constituents.

There has been, again,# another wave of displacement,## large-scale bombardment of# villages in the south, as well as## Beirut's southern suburbs.

So it has caused once# again displacement, once again panic, once again## a lot of uncertainty about whether this country# will once again be plunged into full-scale war.

But what is perhaps most noteworthy# is the governments' reactions.## Earlier today, following an emergency# cabinet session, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam## announced a ban on Hezbollah military# and intelligence activities.

And this is## quite unprecedented in this country, because# previously the group was somehow recognized## as the so-called resistance, as# being part of the country's defenses.

So, essentially, with this# government decision, Hezbollah has## become somewhat of an outlawed group, at# least when it comes to its military wing.

AMNA NAWAZ: Simona, we know you also# lived in Dubai for many years.

Of course,## you reported from the region for years.

These fears of a widening regional war,# how big are they?

How real are they?

SIMONA FOLTYN:## Well, this is quite an unprecedented situation in# the region and especially in the Gulf countries.## If you look at places like the United Arab# Emirates or Qatar, these are countries that## were considered safe havens for Arabs and Muslims# who were fleeing conflict elsewhere in the region.

So this is something that these countries have not# really seen.

Now, so far, the air defense systems## that have been supplied by the United States# have managed to intercept most of the Iranian## missiles that have been targeting these places.# So the human casualties have been relatively low.

But these countries are being hit where it hurts# the most.

And that's their economic engines.

Just## to give you a sense of -- for example, Dubai's# airport is the second largest in the world.

Its## Jebel Ali port is the ninth largest# shipping port in the world.

And## now essentially all of the economic activity# in the Gulf region has come to a halt.

Airspace is closed.

We have# seen footage of five-star## hotels being hit with debris.

We have# seen ports being targeted.

We have seen## oil installations being targeted.# So all of that is quite significant.

AMNA NAWAZ: That is special correspondent Simona# Foltyn joining us from outside Beirut, Lebanon.

Simona, thank you.