Iran threatens to obliterate Israel in event Lebanon is attacked

Iran warned on Saturday that all Resistance Fronts, a coalition of Iran and its regional allies, would battle Israel if it attacked Lebanon.

The statement from Iran’s mission in New York comes amid fears of a larger regional conflict involving Israel and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah militia.

Since the start of the Gaza war, the two sides have exchanged fire almost every day.

Such exchanges have increased this month, along with bellicose rhetoric from both sides. Israel’s military said that plans for an operation in Lebanon had been “approved and validated,” prompting Hezbollah to declare that no Israeli territory would be spared in a full-fledged conflict.

The war in Gaza began in October when Hamas Palestinian militants attacked southern Israel.

Iran, which backs Hamas, has praised the attack as a success but has denied any involvement.

Alongside Hezbollah’s attacks on northern Israel, Iran-backed rebels in Yemen have repeatedly struck commercial ships in the Red Sea area in what they say are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.

Iran also backs other groups in the region.

The Islamic republic has not recognized Israel since the 1979 revolution that toppled Iran’s United States-backed shah.

Fears of regional war rose in April after an air strike destroyed Iran’s consulate in Damascus, killing seven Revolutionary Guards, two of whom were generals.

Iran responded with an unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel on April 13 and 14.

Iran’s state media later reported explosions in the central province of Isfahan, while US media claimed American officials as saying Israel had launched retaliation strikes on its archrival.