The escalating crisis in Lebanon was sparked off by the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah guerrillas on 12 July, 2006. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert described the capture as "an act of war" and in brutal response, Israeli jets bombed bridges, roads, ports, phone and television masts, fuel depots and Beirut international airport, crippling key infrastructure. At least 35 people were reported killed in the first strikes but the figure by the end had risen far beyond belief. In retaliation, Hezbollah had fired hundreds of rockets into Israel.

This attack is a new chapter in the long-standing conflict between the two countries, which began in 1982 when Israel launched an attack against Lebanon. The official reason for the attack was to defend Israel's northernmost settlements from terrorist attacks, which had been occurring frequently as a result of the Lebanese Civil War which began in 1975.