Although Tehran has long supported Hamas, Iranian officials say their country was not involved in Saturday’s militant attack on its arch-enemy, Israel.
Nevertheless, the United States fears that a second front could open up on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon if Hezbollah, another well-armed Islamist group backed by Iran, intervenes.
“Officials from some countries are approaching us and asking about the possibility of a new front opening (against Israel) in the region,” Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani. Shia Sudan).
“We tell them that our clear answer regarding future options is this: everything depends on the actions of the Zionist regime in Gaza,” he said, according to a statement from Iran’s foreign ministry.
“Even now, Israel’s crimes continue, and no one in the region asks for our permission to open new fronts,” the minister said.
Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday, invading its territory and launching rocket attacks. Israel carried out retaliatory strikes on the Gaza Strip. Hamas militants killed 1.2 thousand people in Israel. people, mostly civilians, and took about 150 hostages. Israeli strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip claimed more than 1,400 lives. people’s lives.
Since Saturday, the West has been cautious about Iran, but its leaders have warned Tehran in no uncertain terms against intervening in the war.
US President Joe Biden (Joe Biden) said on Wednesday that he “made it clear to the Iranians: Be careful”.
H. Amir-Abdollahian will travel to Lebanon from Iraq. Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group, said on Wednesday it had fired rockets into Israel, which shelled southern Lebanon.
There were similar reports earlier this week.
Speaking to his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi appealed to “all Islamic and Arab countries” for “serious convergence and cooperation to stop the Zionist regime’s crimes against the oppressed Palestinian people.”
Hamas is the Palestinian militant group that rules the Gaza Strip and has been involved in several wars with Israel since taking over the Gaza Strip in 2007. The group has been recognized as a terrorist by Israel, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and some other countries.
Hamas is supported by Iran, financing the purchase of weapons, supplying them and providing military training. Hamas has a political office in Qatar, where some of its leaders are based.
2.3 million people live in the Gaza Strip. people, but Israel, with the help of Egypt, has imposed a blockade on the territory since 2007 – it restricted the import of goods to and from the territory by water, sea or air, as well as the ability of the Palestinians themselves to leave the territory, except for a few tens of thousands of workers.
Israel’s military announced earlier Thursday that it was preparing for a ground offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, but the country’s political leaders have yet to make a decision.
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#Iran #opening #front #Israel #depend #actions #Gaza #Strip
How might the escalation in the Middle East affect U.S. foreign policy in the region moving forward?
**Interview with Dr. Fatima Khatami, Middle East Expert**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Khatami. The situation in the Middle East seems to be escalating, particularly with the recent events involving Israel and Hamas. Can you summarize Iran’s official position regarding the attack on Israel?
**Dr. Khatami:** Certainly. Iran has a history of supporting Hamas, but Iranian officials have publicly stated that they were not involved in the recent surprise attack on Israel by Hamas. They emphasize that the responsibility for the conflict lies with Israel’s actions in Gaza, which they claim provoke responses from regional groups [[1](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68853402)].
**Interviewer:** Interesting. We also hear concerns from the United States about a possible second front opening on Israel’s northern border if Hezbollah engages. What is the current sentiment in Iran regarding this prospect?
**Dr. Khatami:** The Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, indicated that future options for Iran depend heavily on Israel’s actions. He asserted that no one in the region would seek Iran’s permission to open new fronts. This suggests a readiness to support allied groups like Hezbollah if they choose to retaliate against Israel [[1](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68853402)].
**Interviewer:** Given that Hezbollah has already fired rockets into Israel, how might this influence the broader regional dynamics?
**Dr. Khatami:** The involvement of Hezbollah could significantly complicate the situation. It risks widening the conflict beyond Gaza and involves Lebanon directly in hostilities, which the United States has warned against. U.S. President Biden has explicitly cautioned Iran to avoid escalating tensions further, signifying a concern for regional stability [[1](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68853402)].
**Interviewer:** What can we expect in terms of international reactions, especially from Iran’s allies like Syria?
**Dr. Khatami:** Iran is actively engaging with its allies, including Syria, to foster a unified response against perceived Israeli aggression. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has called for cooperation among Islamic nations to counter Israel’s actions. This could potentially energize a coalition that extends beyond rhetoric into more active support for Hamas and Hezbollah [[1](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68853402)].
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Dr. Khatami, for your insights. It seems the situation remains quite volatile, with multiple actors at play. We appreciate your expertise in shedding light on these complex dynamics.
