Although Tehran has long supported Hamas, Iranian officials insist their country was not involved in Saturday’s militant attack on its arch-enemy, Israel.
Nevertheless, the United States fears that a second front could open up on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon if Hezbollah, another well-armed Islamist group backed by Iran, intervenes.
“Officials from some countries are approaching us and asking about the possibility of a new front opening (against Israel) in the region,” Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani. Shia Sudan).
“We tell them that our clear answer regarding future options is this: everything depends on the actions of the Zionist regime in Gaza,” he said, according to a statement from Iran’s foreign ministry.
“Even now, Israel’s crimes continue, and no one in the region asks us for permission to open new fronts,” the minister said.
Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday, invading its territory and launching rocket attacks. Israel carried out retaliatory strikes on the Gaza Strip. Hamas militants killed 1.2 thousand people in Israel. people, mostly civilians, and took about 150 hostages. Israeli strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip claimed more than 1,400 lives. people’s lives.
Since Saturday, the West has been wary of Iran, but its leaders have warned Tehran in no uncertain terms against intervening in the war.
US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that he “made it clear to the Iranians: Be careful.”
H. Amir-Abdollahian will travel to Lebanon from Iraq. Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group, said on Wednesday it had fired rockets into Israel, which shelled southern Lebanon.
There were similar reports earlier this week.
Speaking to his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi appealed to “all Islamic and Arab countries” for “serious convergence and cooperation to stop the Zionist regime’s crimes against the oppressed Palestinian people.”
Hamas is the Palestinian militant group that rules the Gaza Strip and has been involved in several wars with Israel since taking over the Gaza Strip in 2007. The group has been recognized as a terrorist by Israel, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and some other countries.
Hamas is supported by Iran, financing the purchase of weapons, supplying them and providing military training. Hamas has a political office in Qatar, where some of its leaders are based.
2.3 million people live in the Gaza Strip. people, but Israel, with the help of Egypt, has imposed a blockade on the territory since 2007 – it restricted the import of goods to and from the territory by water, sea or air, as well as the ability of the Palestinians themselves to leave the territory, except for a few tens of thousands of workers.
Israel’s military announced earlier Thursday that it was preparing for a ground offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, but the country’s political leaders have yet to make a decision.
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**What role has Iran played in supporting Hamas during the recent conflict with Israel?**
**Short Interview on Iran’s Role in the Recent Middle East Conflict**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today. We have with us Dr. Sara Alavi, a Middle East policy expert, to discuss Iran’s involvement in the ongoing conflict in the region, particularly regarding Hamas and the potential fallout with Hezbollah. Dr. Alavi, can you clarify Iran’s stance following the recent attacks by Hamas on Israel?
**Dr. Alavi:** Thank you for having me. Iranian officials have been quite adamant that, despite their long-standing support for Hamas, they did not play a direct role in the recent attacks on Israel. This claim is made to distance themselves from the actions of Hamas, even as they continue to provide military and financial assistance to the group [[1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_support_for_Hamas)].
**Interviewer:** The U.S. has expressed concerns about a new front opening with Hezbollah if they decide to enter the conflict. What do Iranian officials say about this possibility?
**Dr. Alavi:** Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian recently stated that any escalation or opening of new fronts depends on Israel’s actions in Gaza. He emphasized that their response would be contingent on Israel’s military operations against Palestinians, indicating a reactive approach rather than an offensive one [[1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_support_for_Hamas)].
**Interviewer:** Meanwhile, we’ve seen a significant escalation in violence. Can you summarize the toll this conflict has taken so far?
**Dr. Alavi:** Absolutely. The recent escalation has been devastating. Hamas’s attack resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths, mostly civilians, while subsequent Israeli strikes on Gaza led to over 1,400 Palestinian deaths. The situation has created a humanitarian crisis on both sides of the conflict [[1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_support_for_Hamas)].
**Interviewer:** President Biden has warned Iran to “be careful” regarding their involvement. How does this pressure impact Iran’s maneuvering in the region?
**Dr. Alavi:** The U.S. warning reflects a broader concern that Iranian-backed groups like Hezbollah could escalate the situation further. Iran’s leadership, while asserting that they aren’t directly involved, faces a complex balancing act. They want to support their allies without provoking a broader conflict that could lead to more severe repercussions from the West [[1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_support_for_Hamas)].
**Interviewer:** Lastly, with Amir Abdollahian heading to Lebanon, what are the implications of Hezbollah’s involvement in this conflict?
**Dr. Alavi:** Hezbollah’s involvement adds another layer of complexity. They have already launched rockets into Israel, indicating they might escalate their participation. The Iranian government is advocating for a unified response among Islamic and Arab countries against Israel, which could galvanize support for militant actions across the region [[1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_support_for_Hamas)]. This situation remains fluid and highly volatile.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Dr. Alavi, for your insights into this critical situation. We hope to see a resolution that fosters peace in the region.
