Shiite sheikhs walk over the rubble after Israeli strikes against the southern suburbs of Beirut, on June 6, 2025. (Credit: AFP.)
BEIRUT —A senior Iranian official delivered a sharp warning on Wednesday, telling Qatar’s Al Jazeera network that any direct U.S. military involvement in the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel would prompt Hezbollah to enter the fray — a move that could significantly widen the regional war.
“The entry of the United States into the confrontation with the Zionist entity means that Hezbollah will take action,” the official said. He warned that such involvement would trigger “an unprecedented threat” against enemy naval forces, and suggested that Iranian strikes on maritime and military targets “remain on the table” should Washington intervene.
The warning comes as the conflict between Iran and Israel enters its seventh day. Since Israel launched its surprise offensive on June 13, reportedly aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear capabilities, Iran has faced a barrage of Israeli strikes. Tehran alleges that the life of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is under threat.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has shown increasing support for Israel’s military campaign, said he is aware of Khamenei’s whereabouts but has “no plans to target him, for now.” Asked if the United States might launch airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Trump was characteristically ambiguous: “I could do it. Or not. Nobody knows what I'm going to do,” he told reporters on the White House lawn.
Hezbollah, Tehran’s powerful Lebanese ally — has so far refrained from directly entering the conflict. But tensions are high. On Tuesday, Hezbollah MP Ibrahim Moussawi posted a defiant message on X (formerly Twitter), pledging loyalty to Khamenei with the hashtag “Our lives for Khamenei,” and implying that honor demands resistance, even in an uneven battle.
Despite Lebanon’s official stance that decisions of war and peace lie with the state, Hezbollah has historically operated autonomously in matters of conflict. Analysts note the group’s weakened state following a bruising 2023 confrontation with Israel, but its potential involvement could mark a significant escalation.
For now, the region stands on a knife’s edge, with diplomatic backchannels scrambling to prevent a broader war and the world watching to see whether Hezbollah will move from rhetoric to action.
