On Tuesday, Iran issued a stern warning of potential regional conflict, vowing unwavering support for Hezbollah against Israel if Jerusalem initiates an offensive in Lebanon. Kamal Kharrazi, Iranian foreign minister and a top advisor to Iran’s supreme leader, highlighted the severe ramifications that could follow such an event. In an interview with the Financial Times, Kharrazi stressed that a conflict in Lebanon could escalate into a regional war, drawing in all Arab nations. “All Lebanese people, Arab countries and members of the Axis of Resistance will support Lebanon against Israel,” he stated. “There would be a chance of expansion of the war to the whole region, in which all countries including Iran would become engaged.”
Kharrazi emphasized that Iran would be compelled to support Hezbollah comprehensively if a war breaks out. Although he acknowledged that expanding the conflict is detrimental to both Iran and the U.S., his comments came a day after a senior Iranian military commander expressed eagerness for further strikes against Israel. Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh of the IRGC Aerospace Force, speaking to the families of Palestinians killed in Gaza, indicated hopes for another strike against Jerusalem. “We are hopeful of the arrival of the opportunity for [conducting] Operation True Promise 2,” Hajizadeh said, referencing the significant missile and drone attack on Israel in April, most of which was intercepted by Israeli and U.S. forces.
The April 14 strike marked Iran’s first direct attack on Israel, a significant escalation from years of proxy warfare. Hajizadeh, instrumental in advancing Iran’s drone and missile capabilities, did not specify future attack details but assured continued support for militants against Israel. “As it is obvious from the weapons of our dear ones in Palestine, Lebanon and elsewhere, it has now become clear that they are in fact being helped and supplied by Iran,” he asserted, according to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency.
Iran’s direct involvement in the Gaza conflict has heightened international alarm. Behnam Ben Taleblu, an Iran expert and senior fellow at The Foundation for Defense of Democracies, remarked that the April strike underscored the reality of Iran’s direct threat to Israel. “That large a volley of cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and drones was designed to kill just as much as it was designed to send a message,” Taleblu explained.
Iran’s recent statements and actions suggest a strategic push to intensify hostilities against Israel. The Iranian mission to the United Nations recently warned of an “obliterating war” against Israel if it targets Hezbollah in Lebanon, a move Taleblu sees as part of Iran’s strategy to fuel a “cycle of violence against Israel.” He warned of increased militia coordination, noting, “As Hamas fights Israel, Hezbollah is drawing resources from the south toward the north, while proxies in Yemen and Iraq are trying to synchronize their fire against the Jewish state.” This chaotic environment, he added, benefits Tehran’s broader geopolitical aims.
