Iran issued a warning on Saturday that if Israel were to attack Lebanon, the “Resistance Fronts” comprising Iran and its regional allies would stand united to confront the aggression. The comment from Iran’s mission in New York raised concerns about the possibility of a broader regional conflict involving Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. Tensions have been escalating with frequent exchanges of fire between the two sides since the conflict in Gaza commenced.
Recent developments have seen a surge in hostilities and aggressive rhetoric from both Israel and Hezbollah. Israel’s military announced plans for an offensive in Lebanon, prompting Hezbollah to warn that no part of Israel would be spared in a full-fledged conflict.
In a social media post, the Iranian mission dismissed Israel’s propaganda about attacking Lebanon as psychological warfare, but cautioned that any military aggression would lead to a devastating war. The statement emphasized that all options, including full participation by the Resistance Fronts, remained on the table.
The conflict in Gaza began when Hamas militants launched attacks on southern Israel. Iran, a supporter of Hamas, praised the attacks while denying direct involvement. Concurrently, Hezbollah targeted northern Israel, and Iran-backed rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea to express solidarity with the Palestinians.
Iran, ever steadfast in its opposition to Israel, has maintained its stance since the 1979 revolution that ousted the US-backed Shah. The region witnessed heightened fears of a broader conflict following an airstrike that destroyed Iran’s consulate in Damascus and resulted in the deaths of seven Revolutionary Guards, including two generals. In retaliation, Iran launched a drone and missile strike on Israel in April.
Reports emerged of explosions in Isfahan following what US officials claimed were Israeli retaliatory strikes. Tehran played down the incidents amid growing tensions in the region.
