Iran has announced that it has halted its military operation against Israel, but warned that it is prepared to resume military action if what it described as Israeli aggression continues, including strikes in southern Lebanon.
“The powerful Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran delivered a painful response to this regime (Israel) in support of the oppressed people of Lebanon. If aggression and hostile actions continue, including in southern Lebanon, we will take far harsher and more destructive measures than before,” the Iranian military said in a statement cited by the Tasnim news agency.
Meanwhile, an Israeli official told CNN that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office had sent a message to government ministers emphasizing that Israel would not accept what it described as Tehran’s attempt to establish a new equation under which Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut would be met with Iranian attacks on populated areas inside Israel.
“We will continue to operate throughout Lebanon, as necessary, to remove the terrorist threat posed by Hezbollah to our citizens,” the Israeli official said.
The latest statements come amid heightened regional tensions involving Israel, Iran and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon, raising concerns about the potential for a broader escalation in the Middle East.
Header image: AFP/Kawnat Haju
