Growing Israel-Iran threats signal possible escalation with Hezbollah
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Israel and Iran have intensified threats as fears of a wider Middle East conflict grows with U.S. mediators pressing to prevent the escalation of cross-border attacks between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson told Newsweek on Sunday “The IDF is prepared for a variety of security scenarios in all areas, and will continue to protect the State of Israel from the various threats.”
This came as Iran’s Mission to the U.N. warned on X (formerly Twitter) that if Israel should launch a full-scale war in Lebanon, “an obliterating war” will follow. “All options, incl. the full involvement of all Resistance Fronts, are on the table,” the statement added.
An American official cautioned Hezbollah that they should not rely on the U.S. or any other party to prevent Israeli leaders from carrying out planned military actions into Lebanon.
Gerald Feierstein, a former senior U.S. diplomat in the Middle East said, “it certainly seems the Israelis are still … arranging themselves in the expectation that there will be some kind of conflict … an entirely different magnitude of conflict.”
The message being delivered to Hezbollah is “don’t think that you’re as capable as you think you are,” he said.
Previously, White House national security spokesman, John Kirby, said the U.S. does not ” want to see a second front opened up. Obviously, we take the tensions and the rhetoric seriously by both sides. And we’re doing everything we can to try to prevent that outcome.”
Israel and Hezbollah have carried out frequent cross-border attacks since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict on Oct 7, 2023.
The attacks have recently increased signaling a possible third Israel-Lebanon war that observers caution could be even more catastrophic than the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.