Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Monday that Iran would be harmed if Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese group, escalates the conflict in the region.
Netanyahu’s warning came after Hezbollah fired several rockets into Israel on Sunday, in response to Israeli airstrikes on the group’s positions in Lebanon.
In a speech to parliament, Netanyahu said that Israel would not tolerate Hezbollah’s attacks. “If Hezbollah escalates the conflict, it will be harming Iran,” he said. “We will not let Iran use Hezbollah to attack us.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian responded to Netanyahu’s warning, saying that the Israeli leader had “made many mistakes.”
“Netanyahu is making a mistake by threatening Iran,” Amir-Abdollahian said. “Iran will not tolerate any threats to its security.”
The exchange of threats between Israel and Iran comes amid a continuing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls the Gaza Strip. The conflict has killed more than 250 Palestinians and 14 Israelis since it began on May 10.
The Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah’s positions in Lebanon were in retaliation for a series of rocket attacks by the group on Israeli territory. The rockets caused no injuries, but they did damage property.
Hezbollah has said that it will continue to attack Israel in response to the Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. The group has also said that it is prepared for a wider conflict with Israel.
The escalation of tensions between Israel and Hezbollah is a worrying development. It is important for both sides to take steps to de-escalate the situation and avoid a wider conflict.
