Iran Issues Red Line, Warns of Intervention Against Israel
Iran’s foreign minister has warned Israel against waging a ground war in Gaza.
“The war … in the Gaza Strip is not just the Zionists’ war against a group; it is a war against all Palestinians,” Hossein Amirabdollahian said, according to a Thursday report from Reuters.
“Today, the continuation of war crimes by [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and Zionists against the civilians in Gaza — besieging, cutting off water and electricity, and denying entry of medicine and food — has created conditions where the Zionists are seeking a genocide of all people in Gaza.”
In a public threat, he also said the war could expand if the powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group joins the fight, leading to a “huge earthquake” that would strike Israel.
“I want to warn the war criminals and those who support this entity before it’s too late to stop the crimes against civilians in Gaza, because it might be too late in a few hours,” he said.
The public comments were matched by similar ones behind closed doors, according to Axios.
Amirabdollahian met with UN envoy to the Middle East Tor Wennesland on Saturday, the outlet reported, citing sources it did not name.
Wennesland tried to get Iran to hold off on any action that would lead to a wider war in the Middle East.
Amirabdollahian reportedly said Iran doesn’t want a regional war, but that if Israel launches a ground assault on Gaza, Iran will take action.
Axios reported that Wennesland conveyed that message to an Israeli national security adviser.
As Iran warned of retribution, Israel said it is continuing its preparations to invade Gaza a week after Hamas launched the worst attack in Israel’s history, according to The Times of Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces said Saturday that they are moving forward with a “wide range of offensive operational plans,” including a “joint and coordinated attack from the air, sea and land.”
Israel has called up hundreds of thousands of reservists and is finishing the logistical steps of arming and preparing them, the IDF said.
“IDF battalions and soldiers are deployed all over the country and are prepared to increase readiness for the next stages of the war, with an emphasis on a significant ground operation,” the military added.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
