Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, issued a warning, stating that the opening of additional fronts in the Israel-Hamas conflict is a “real possibility.” The statement was made as Israel escalated retaliatory attacks on the Gaza Strip, raising concerns of a potential expansion of the conflict into a regional war.
Amir-Abdollahian expressed these concerns late Thursday upon his arrival in Beirut, Lebanon, where he planned to meet with leaders of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. He emphasized the possibility of new fronts opening in the conflict due to the continuation of aggression, perceived war crimes, and the siege of Gaza. The minister stated, “With the continuation of aggression, war crimes, and the siege of Gaza, the opening of other fronts is a real possibility.” He added that he would discuss the situation in Gaza with Lebanese authorities and reaffirmed Iran’s political and media support for the Palestinian resistance.
While Iran has long supported both Hamas and Hezbollah, it denies any involvement in Hamas’ recent incursion into Israel. The warning from Iran comes at a time when Israel’s army has ordered civilians in northern Gaza to evacuate to the south, amid expectations of a potential ground assault on the Gaza Strip in response to the Hamas attack.
Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, has ordered a “complete siege” of Gaza, restricting access to food, fuel, and water for the over 2 million residents, while launching numerous airstrikes that have resulted in casualties. The ongoing conflict has claimed the lives of more than 1,500 people in Gaza, with tensions escalating in the region.
