2024-01-04 21:10:01
Yesterday, 05:26
The devastating explosions in Iran and the killing of a leader of the Islamist Hamas in Lebanon have further increased dangerous tensions in the Middle East. Iran’s leadership spoke of a terrorist attack after the attack on the anniversary of General Ghassem Soleimani’s death.
Emergency services after the explosions in Kerman.
Photo: Sare Tajalli (Keystone)
At first no one claimed responsibility for the crime. There is no reason to believe that Israel is involved, said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. The USA also had nothing to do with it. The attack, which killed around 100 people, came at a time when Iran’s arch-enemy Israel is waging war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and facing Iranian-backed militias such as Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Hezbollah chief warns Israel
After the deputy head of Hamas’ political bureau, Saleh al-Arouri, was killed in an explosion in the Lebanese capital Beirut, the head of Hezbollah warned Israel against an escalation of the conflict with Lebanon. “The assassination of al-Arouri is a dangerous crime that will not go without reaction and punishment,” Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech on Wednesday. “If the enemy starts a war against Lebanon, we will no longer follow any rules,” said Nasrallah. However, he did not make a direct threat against Israel or even a declaration of war.
Nasrallah simply said in his speech: “We are not afraid of war and we do not hesitate.” Israel had not claimed responsibility for al-Arouri’s killing. However, the Hamas leader had been on Israel’s “hit list” for a long time. Israel believes he was involved in planning the devastating October 7 terrorist attack in the Israeli border area, which sparked the Gaza war. Al-Arouri had also established closer Hamas ties with Hezbollah and Iran.
Lebanon: Don’t want to be drawn into a war
The killing of al-Arouri has now brought the Gaza war to Beirut. The government there is trying not to let the conflict escalate: “We are very worried, the Lebanese do not want to be drawn into it, even Hezbollah does not want to be drawn into a regional war,” said Minister Bou Habib. He called on Western states to “put pressure on Israel to stop all its violence and all its actions, not only in Lebanon, not only in Beirut, but also in Gaza.”
Expert: Iran has no interest in comprehensive confrontation
“It is now very important that Hezbollah restores its deterrence capacity, taking into account local conditions: the Lebanese do not want to be drawn into a war,” said Anthony Samrani, editor-in-chief of the Lebanese newspaper L’Orient-Le Jour Foreign television from the French broadcaster France 24. The Shiite Hezbollah does not have the means for a comprehensive conflict with Israel, “especially given the strong US presence in the region.”
Neither Hezbollah nor its biggest supporter, Iran, are prepared to take on major retaliatory measures, said political analyst Makram Rabah of the German Press Agency. “It has been clear since the beginning of the conflict that Iran has no interest in a full-scale confrontation,” he said. After the devastating explosions in Iran on Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal newspaper pointed out that Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi announced a decisive response in a short statement on the X platform, but had not blamed anyone for the attack.
“With God’s permission, the hand of divine vengeance will appear at the right time and in the right place,” wrote Raisi. The aim of the attack was apparently to further inflame tensions between Israel and Iran at a time of heightened sensitivity between both sides following the murder of Hamas leader al-Arouri, wrote the Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed people , who are familiar with Israel’s actions.
What will be important on Thursday
After the explosions in Iran, the search for the perpetrators continues. Meanwhile, the fighting in the Gaza Strip continues and the situation for civilians remains catastrophic. (DPA)
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