SAN ANTONIO — On October 7, 2023 - Hamas attacked Israel igniting a conflict that has been continuing for 75 years.
Almost a year later, on October 1, 2024, Iran launched at least 180 missiles into Israel, the latest in a series of escalating attacks that threatens to push the Middle East closer toward a regionwide war.
Before Iran's attack, Israel had landed a series of devastating blows in recent weeks against the leadership of Hezbollah in Lebanon. It then ratcheted up the pressure on the Iran-backed militant group — which has been firing rockets into Israel since the war in Gaza began — by launching what it said is a limited ground incursion in southern Lebanon.
For those in the Greater San Antonio area with ties to the Middle East, there's no denying that Israel and the Middle East is important to many major religions.
"I lived my life in Lebanon," said Father Charles Khachan of St. George Maronite Catholic Church. "I grew up in Lebanon. It's a beautiful land. It's a beautiful. It's a place that's created by God, by God himself."
When it comes to the conflict in Middle East, Fr. Khachan argues the majority of media attention goes to extremist groups who he says are unaligned with the citizens of those countries.
"Do not look at the extremists and every religion because whether they're Christian Muslims or choose what any other religion, they will not be working for peace," Fr Khachan said. "But, the other religious people who really believe in God, who read, who are really faithful, work for peace."
That message of peace, a unified theme among all those in San Antonio watching the events unfold.
"If today Israel completely laid down all of their arms, there would be no Israel left," said Rabbi Jonathan Hodson of Congregation Agudas Achim. "If the rest of Israel's neighbors laid down their arms and said, we don't want to fight anymore, Israel would happily stop, stop the fighting. We don't want to fight.”
For Saghar Roshan, who is Iranian and Baha'i, the conflict is complicated. Israel is important to the Baha'i faith, but Iran is where her loved ones live.
"We are anxious, we are worried," she said. "At the same time, we are somehow excited and and happy for this movement because we feel something is going to happen. The ending, [leading] to the peace finally in the Middle East."
Israel has said it will continue to strike Hezbollah until it is safe for citizens displaced from homes near the Lebanon border to return. Hezbollah has vowed to keep firing rockets into Israel until there is a cease-fire in Gaza with Hamas, which is also supported by Iran.