Israel vowed on Friday to launch a full-scale military strike against Iran if its terrorist group Hezbollah joins the ongoing war, according to a report.
Nir Barkat, Israel’s Economy Minister, warned that it would “wipe out Hezbollah,” its proxy terrorist group in Lebanon, if it followed through on threats to throw its military support behind Hamas.
“Iran’s plan is to attack Israel on all fronts. If we find that they intend to target Israel, we will not only retaliate, but we will go to the head of the snake, which is Iran,” Barkat told the Daily Mail.
“The Ayatollahs in Iran will not sleep well at night, we will make sure they pay a heavy price if, God forbid, they open up the north.”
Hezbollah has been exchanging fire with Israeli forces on the Lebanese border for the past two weeks in retaliation for the Israeli Defense Forces’ continued shelling of the Gaza Strip.
Lebanon-based militias and Iranian officials reportedly helped Hamas refine tactical and strategic plans for the Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel that left 1,300 dead and took nearly 200 hostages.
Hezbollah leaders announced last week that it was “fully prepared” to join the fight in support of Hamas.
Israel’s plan is to go to the “head of the snake” behind Hamas and Hezbollah, namely Iran, led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.ZUMAPRESS.com
If Israel discovers that Hezbollah is fully opening a war front on Israel’s northern border, the IDF will launch unforgivable accusations against Iran, which Barkat says is synonymous with Hezbollah.
The terrorist group “will not rise without Iran’s orders,” he said, adding that there is a “global evil alignment” between Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah.
“Lebanon and Hezbollah will pay a heavy price, just as Hamas will pay. But that is not enough,” said Barkat.
An Israeli soldier fires a shell around a self-propelled howitzer in northern Israel on October 18, near the border with Lebanon, where Hezbollah has launched its own offensive against the country.Xinhua/Shutterstock
“The very clear message is that we will go after the leaders of Iran as well. When will we do it? When we make a decision.
“Israel has a very clear message to our enemies. We said to them, look what happened in Gaza – you will get the same treatment if you attack us. We will wipe you off the face of the earth.”
The Biden administration has urged Israeli leaders to refrain from any major strikes against Hezbollah, warning that the Middle Eastern country would be embroiled in a two-front war.
Smoke rises after Israeli forces shelled a Lebanese village near the Lebanon-Israel border on Oct. 15. 2023. WAEL HAMZEH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
US officials believe the conflict against the powerful militias will lead to an intense escalation that will attract both the US and Iran.
The White House is already discussing deploying its military in the growing possibility of Hezbollah joining the war, insiders told Axios.
Barkat’s inflammatory comments come as Israel ramps up its militia in anticipation of an expected ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with combat soldiers on the Gaza border on Oct. 19. 2023 as the army prepares for the division of land in Gaza.EyePress News/Shutterstock
A tank formation was placed on the southern border on Friday, where 300,000 soldiers are already encamped.
Hamas claims it is holding some 203 Israeli hostages in a network of tunnels it is building under Gaza — which Barkat vows will be “the world’s biggest graveyard.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
