After Sinwar: Questions for Israel, Iran and the Mideast Wars

BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT — Israel announced Thursday that it had killed its most wanted man, the Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, an act that several Cipher Brief experts called one of the most significant events in the year-long Gaza war – with ripple effects that will be felt across the Middle East.

It’s a seismic event in a region that has seen more than its share lately. There are immediate questions of leadership for a battered and badly degraded Hamas, as well as a fundamental choice for Israel: whether to use this moment to pursue a ceasefire deal to return the remaining hostages in Gaza, or to press its advantage against a badly weakened Hamas.