Iran threatens to intervene if Israel invades Gaza
For now, the ground offensive has been postponed due to bad weather that is preventing air support from being provided to the IDF.
(Cordon Press)
The Iranian regime has threatened to act against Israel if the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) offensive continues in response to the Hamas attack last Saturday. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian assured the media that Hezbollah would also enter the conflict.
The Iranian government sent a message to Israel via the United Nations (UN) delegation for the Middle East to warn it of its intentions. Axios reported this information, citing two diplomatic sources involved in the negotiations.
Iran's message comes just as Hossein Amirabdollahian met with Qatari and Hamas authorities. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has increased its forces in the Middle East to serve as a deterrent against any escalation in the conflict that leads to the participation of more armed forces.
According to Axios, the Iranian foreign minister met on Saturday in Beirut, Lebanon, with Tor Wennesland, UN representative for the Middle East. While the UN envoy appealed for peace, Amirabdollahian assured him that if the Israeli military operation continues and if Israel carries out a ground offensive in Gaza, Iran will have to respond, according to the same media sources.
Antony Blinken in the Middle East
Since Thursday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been traveling throughout the Middle East to meet with regional leaders. Blinken is expected to return to Israel on Monday after holding a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al Sisi. Since the beginning of his visit, he has been to six different Arab countries, as well as Israel.
The Biden administration intends to ensure that regional powers support a de-escalation of violence in the Middle East to deter Iran and Hezbollah from adding fuel to the fire in the coming weeks.
France warns Iran
Faced with the possibility of an Iranian intervention, French President Emmanuel Macron also publicly intervened to warn the Islamic regime in Tehran. France did not directly implicate that Iran was involved in the Oct. 7 attack, but did imply there is a relationship between Hezbollah and Hamas.
President Macron also reiterated that Israel has every right to defend itself from attacks like the one it experienced last week.
Gaza invasion
The IDF is moving its forces not only to the north, but also to the southern border with Gaza. According to media reports, the Gaza Strip is completely surrounded by IDF troops in a combat position and awaiting an eventual order for a ground attack against the Palestinian territory.
While the IDF originally planned the beginning of the invasion to be Sunday, military sources told The New York Times that the start of the attack had been postponed due to problems with the weather. Bad weather would prevent Israeli forces from having adequate air support during their advance through the Gaza Strip.
The combat in Gaza may get complicated for the IDF. Despite the Israelis' technological superiority, there is a risk of getting involved in a long urban battle with a high death toll. The Hamas terrorist group claims that there is a network of tunnels beneath Gaza spanning more than 310 miles. In 2021, the IDF announced the destruction of at least 62 miles of this labyrinth in which the terrorist group stores resources, weapons and has bunkers.
Clashes with Hezbollah in northern Israel
The Lebanese political and paramilitary group Hezbollah is one of Iran's main supporters and one of its tools for regional destabilization. Since the start of Israeli bombings against Hamas positions in Gaza, some clashes between armed elements of the Shiite group and the IDF have been reported.
In the north of Israel, on the border with Lebanon, the IDF stationed reinforcements and carried out artillery attacks against several Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. Some missiles entered Israeli airspace, and IDF armored vehicles were attacked.
In the north, several people have died since Saturday. The Israeli Armed Forces reported at least five attacks throughout Sunday on the northern border. Authorities have not yet reported any injuries, but have established a 2.5-mile security cordon along the northern border.
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