Iranian Official Denies Plans To Participate In Gaza War

A member of Iran’s Expediency Council says the Islamic Republic does not intend to participate in the Gaza war in spite of funding its proxy Hamas.

Mohammad Sadr told the pro-reform Ham-Mihan daily on Thursday that Tehran will only continue to “exert pressure on Israel's supporters to stop the attacks on Gaza," though the Islamic Republic provides training, weaponry and intelligence to its largest Palestinian proxy.

Hamas declared war on Israel on October 7 after its militia invaded Israel by air, land and sea, killing at least 1,400 and taking at least 220 captive.The majority killed were civilians, including women, children and whole families.

The group, designated by the UK, US and EU, began the operation named the 'Al-Aqsa Flood' with a barrage of at least 3,000 rockets as preparation for what would become the single most deadly day for Jews since the Holocaust.

Israel has been hitting Gaza with a continuous flow of airstrikes and is preparing for a ground offensive as it vows to destroy the Iran-backed proxy.

Sadr warned that if a ground incursion takes place, the risk of escalation is higher, demanding a ceasefire, which Israel claims will only be manipulated by Hamas.

"Current initiatives by certain nations and international bodies aim to broker a Gaza ceasefire and compel Israel to halt its actions. Should a ceasefire be achieved without Israeli ground intervention in Gaza, the prospect of the conflict extending to other nations is highly unlikely," he said.

"However, in the event a ceasefire is not reached, and the Israeli military launches a ground incursion into Gaza, persisting in the extensive casualties among Palestinian civilians, the risk of an escalation of the conflict with involvement of other parties becomes more probable."

Iranian proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon continues to target Israel from its northern border while missiles have been fired towards Israel from its proxies in Yemen and Syria already.