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Esmail Ghaani, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’s Quds Force, warned Israel in a statement on June 19, invoking Hezbollah and Gaza after recent clashes.
“When I said Hezbollah has its Mersad, you did not pay attention and got trapped,” Ghaani was quoted as saying, apparently referring to Mirsad-1 drones supplied by Iran. “Who will answer for the 100 casualties?”
He also warned that Gaza “has a storm,” adding: “If you move according to the will of your politicians, you will be caught in the storm. Be careful.”
Israel expanded its ground operation in southern Lebanon after Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding earlier in the week to end the war, despite the deal including a cessation of all hostilities in Lebanon.
The last 24 hours saw fierce fighting with both sides taking heavy casualties. Yet another ceasefire was brokered after efforts from the U.S., Iran and Qatar. Still, Israeli troops renewed their attempts to reach the strategic Ali al-Taher height in southern Lebanon.
In addition to Ghanni’s warning, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said in response to the recent escalation in Lebanon that the U.S. must ensure Israel complies with the terms of the deal.
“The United States must make sure that Israel abides by the provisions of the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington,” Khatibzadeh told Al Jazeera. “We are ready to move forward step by step, if the other side shows the same degree of seriousness.”
Khatibzadeh said Iran seeks “peace on all fronts, including Gaza,” adding that Lebanon was included in the deal because of its direct connection to the conflict.
“There will be no peace or stability in Lebanon and the region without an end to occupation and Israel’s adherence to international law,” he added.
A U.S. intelligence analysis cited in a recent report by The Washington Post warns that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to take actions that will undermine the deal between Iran and the U.S.
The recent escalation in Lebanon is likely the start of these efforts. Recent warnings from Ghanni and Khatibzadeh indicate that Iran will not sit idly if Israel presses on with its ground operation against Hezbollah. How the U.S. would react to any retaliatory action by the Islamic Republic would determine the fate of the deal.
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