BREAKING NEWS: THINGS JUST GOT SUPER UGLY IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Iran's foreign minister warns that war could spread if Israeli bombardment of Gaza continues.
Iran's foreign minister warned that Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip could spread to other parts of the Middle East if Israel doesn't halt them immediately.
5:55 a.m., October 13, 2023
During a press conference held in Beirut, Lebanon on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian speaks with Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bouhabib. Amirabdollahian criticized the United States for calling for restraint in the region while allowing Israel to commit crimes in Gaza. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
According to the Associated Press, Iran's foreign minister warned Friday that Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip could spread to other parts of the Middle East.
He is on a tour that took him to Baghdad before Beirut, and later in the day he will travel to Damascus, the Syrian capital. A group of powerful militant groups, such as Hezbollah and the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq, are part of Iran's so-called "axis of resistance."
Amirabdollahian spoke to reporters in Beirut after a meeting with his Lebanese counterpart, during which the two officials called for an end to Israel's attacks on Gaza. In addition to Hassan Nasrallah, he met with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the speaker.
Hezbollah fighters have been on alert following Hamas' attack on southern Israel on Saturday, which left hundreds dead. There have been fears the war might spread to Lebanon's border.
Two of Syria's main international airports, in Damascus and Aleppo, were struck by Israel on Thursday, causing them to be out of service. Flights were diverted to another airport in Latakia, a coastal province. The strikes occurred after Syrian shells were fired into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
In sporadic violence along the Lebanon-Israel border, three Hezbollah fighters were killed on Monday. One Israeli soldier was killed on Wednesday in an anti-tank missile attack.
Biden has urged other players in the Middle East not to join the conflict, sending American warships to the region and pledging full support for Israel.
When America calls for self-restraint, it is allowing the criminals in the fake Zionist entity to slaughter women, children, and civilians in Gaza," Amirabdollahian said.
There was an apparent hint that Iran-backed groups could join the war if these organized war crimes committed by the Zionist entity didn't stop immediately. He did not elaborate.
Hamas official Ali Barakeh told The Associated Press this week that allies like Iran and Hezbollah "will join the battle if Gaza is destroyed."
"America cannot send weapons and bombs to kill women, children, and civilians in Gaza while calling for self-restraint from all sides at the same time."
To discuss Gaza's situation, Amirabdollahian urged the foreign ministers and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation leader, a grouping of 57 countries with large Muslim populations.
The purpose of Amirabdollahian's visit to Beirut is to preserve security in Lebanon amid regional tensions, Amirabdollahian said after meeting Mikati.
According to him, Hamas' actions over the weekend were a response to Netanyahu's policies.
