▁to ▁a ▁de ▁fact o ▁an nex ation ▁of ▁areas ▁of ▁the ▁West ▁Bank ▁by ▁Israel . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁a ▁new ▁conflict ▁er upt ed ▁between ▁Israel ▁and ▁He z bol lah ▁Sh i ' a ▁milit ia ▁in ▁southern ▁Leb anon , ▁further ▁setting ▁back ▁any ▁" pro spect s ▁for ▁peace ". ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 1 0 s , ▁a ▁revolution ary ▁wave ▁popular ly ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Arab ▁Spring ▁brought ▁major ▁protest s , ▁u pr is ings , ▁and ▁revolution s ▁to ▁several ▁Middle ▁Eastern ▁countries , ▁followed ▁by ▁prolong ed ▁civil ▁wars ▁in ▁Sy ria , ▁Ira q , ▁Y emen , ▁and ▁Lib ya . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁a ▁terror ist ▁group ▁and ▁self - proc laimed ▁cal i ph ate ▁calling ▁itself ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁State ▁made ▁rapid ▁territorial ▁g ains ▁in ▁western ▁Ira q ▁and ▁eastern ▁Sy ria , ▁prompt ing ▁international ▁military ▁inter vention . ▁At ▁its ▁peak , ▁the ▁group ▁controlled ▁an ▁area ▁containing ▁an ▁estimated ▁ 2 . 8 ▁to ▁ 8 ▁million ▁people , ▁ 9 8 % ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁lost ▁by ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁Maps ▁of ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁List ▁of ▁history ▁journ als # Middle ▁East ▁ ▁Middle ▁Eastern ▁Emp ires ▁ ▁Tim eline ▁of ▁Middle ▁Eastern ▁history ▁ ▁The ▁oil ▁cr ises ▁ ▁British