Iran warns that it will retaliate against Israel if it attacks Lebanon

2024-06-29 14:59:00, Kosova & Bota sulmi

Iran warns that it will retaliate against Israel if it attacks Lebanon

A billboard in Tehran showing rockets and reading "Israel is weaker than a spider's web". Illustrative photo. Source: AFP

Iran has warned that "all resistance fronts" - a combination of Iran and its regional allies - would face Israel if it attacks Lebanon.

The comments from Iran's mission in New York come amid growing fears of a widening regional war involving Israel and the Iranian-backed Lebanese movement Hezbollah. Both sides have been involved in exchanges of fire on a daily basis since the war in Gaza began on October 7, 2024.

The exchange of fire has escalated this month, along with the rhetoric of both sides. The Israeli military has said plans for an offensive in Lebanon "have been approved", prompting Hezbollah to retort that no part of Israel would be spared a full-scale conflict.

Through a post on social networks, the Iranian mission said that "we consider the propaganda of the Zionist regime to attack Lebanon as a psychological war".

People protest against the Government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and call for the release of hostages being held in Gaza by Hamas, Tel Aviv, Israel, June 22, 2024.

But he added that "if [Israel] launches a full-scale military aggression, it would launch a war of extermination. All options, even the full involvement of the Resistance Fronts, are not excluded".

The war in Gaza began after Hamas - the Palestinian group declared a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union - attacked southern Israel.

Iran, which backs Hamas, praised the attack, calling it a success, but denied involvement.

In addition to Hezbollah attacks in northern Israel, rebels in Yemen, who are backed by Iran, have repeatedly attacked ships in the Red Sea in a show of solidarity with the Palestinians.

Iran also supports other groups in the region.

The Islamic Republic has not recognized Israel since the 1979 revolution that toppled Iran's US-backed leader.

In April, fears of a regional war grew after an airstrike on the Iranian Consulate in Damascus killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Iran retaliated by launching drones and missiles at Israel.

Iranian media then reported that explosions were heard in the Iranian province of Isfahan, while US officials were quoted as telling US media that Israel had carried out a retaliatory strike against its arch-enemy, Iran.

Tehran minimized the suspected Israeli attack./REL