Ethiopia, Eritrea break ties: Does the conflict risk becoming regional war?

Eritrea has cut off diplomatic relations with neighbouring Ethiopia, escalating a long-simmering conflict between the two states rooted in territorial disputes and mutual accusations of interference. The move comes as fighting flares in northern Ethiopia between Ethiopian federal troops and an opposition alliance that Addis Ababa accuses Eritrea of backing. The clashes are the most severe in Ethiopia since its 2020-2022 civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people. But this time, the ripple effects could go further, potentially fuelling broader unrest in a region already plagued by numerous interrelated conflicts, analysts warn.