Iran Dismisses Gaza War Spreading to Lebanon as Israeli 'Propaganda'

Smoke rises from the southern Lebanese town of Khiam, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, June 25, 2024.
Smoke rises from the southern Lebanese town of Khiam, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, June 25, 2024.

Iran has called the possibility of the Gaza war extending to Lebanon “Zionist regime’s propaganda” but cautioned that "the full involvement of all Resistance Fronts is on the table" if such an escalation occurs.

“Albeit Iran deems as psychological warfare the Zionist regime’s propaganda about intending to attack Lebanon, should it embark on full-scale military aggression, an obliterating war will ensue,” the statement published on the official X account of Iran's Permanent Mission to the UN stated. “All options, including the full involvement of all Resistance Fronts, are on the table.”

The "Resistance Front" refers to an alliance of armed militant groups backed by Iran, including Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Houthis in Yemen, and Iraqi Shiite militias. Founded in 1982 by Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), Hezbollah is a key player in the Tehran-supported alliance hostile to Israel and the United States.

Iran’s statement comes amid rising concerns of an escalation in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. Alongside the ongoing Gaza clashes, the heavily armed, Iran-backed Hezbollah group has been exchanging fire with Israel for over eight months.

On Thursday, the Secretary General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, underscored the group's reliance on Iran, stating that the fate of the "Resistance Front" is linked to its main supporter, the Islamic Republic of Iran. "The future of the region hinges on the developments of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Hassan Nasrallah said.