Hezbollah members attended the funeral on June 12 in the southern suburbs of Beirut for Taleb Abdallah, a senior military commander of the party who was killed in Jwayya, South Lebanon, by an Israeli airstrike the day before. (Credit: Photo illustration by Matthieu Karam/ L'Orient Today)
An Iranian official told the Financial Times on Tuesday that Tehran "was not interested" in a regional war and called on the United States to "pressure Israel to avoid escalation," as the Gaza War between Hamas and Israel, along with hostilities in southern Lebanon involving Hezbollah since last October, have heightened concerns in recent weeks about wider regional implications.
Kamal Kharrazi, advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on foreign affairs, cautioned, however, that a significant Israeli offensive against Hezbollah could spark a broader conflict in which Iran would seek a comprehensive mobilization of the "axis of resistance."
"All Lebanese people, Arab countries, and members of the axis of resistance will support Lebanon against Israel," the Iranian official told the British daily. "There is a risk of the conflict spreading across the region, involving all countries, particularly Iran," he warned. "In such a scenario, we would have no option but to fully support Hezbollah," he added.
Another Iranian official, speaking anonymously to the FT, indicated it is "unlikely" that Tehran would directly target Israel, preferring instead to mobilize allied militias across the region.
Following Hamas's "al-Aqsa Flood" operation against Israel on Oct. 7 and subsequent Israeli offensives in Gaza, Hezbollah launched attacks in northern Israel in solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Since then, near-daily exchanges of fire along the border have resulted in significant casualties in Lebanon, primarily among Hezbollah fighters. Concerns about an expanded conflict in Lebanon have intensified in recent weeks.
From southern Lebanon, Hezbollah has engaged in cross-border skirmishes with Israel. Meanwhile, Houthi rebels based in Yemen have targeted vessels in the Red Sea and launched drones and missiles toward Israel. Militants from Iraq and Syria have also attacked U.S. troops and launched projectiles at Israel on multiple occasions. However, Kamal Kharrazi emphasized to the Financial Times that widening the conflict serves no one's interests, including those of Iran and the United States.
On Saturday, Iran's mission to the UN in New York warned Israel that "all members of the axis of resistance" could mobilize in response to a "large-scale" Israeli offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon. U.S. intelligence assessments have suggested that a major Israeli operation in Lebanon could strengthen ties between Russia and the "axis of resistance," according to the Middle East Eye (MEE).