By NewsBits
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday warned Tehran and Hezbollah not to test Israel. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to Israel after exhaustive diplomatic efforts to prevent a regional war that could include Iran.
“We have a message for Iran and Hezbollah,” Netanyahu said in a speech at the Knesset. “Do not test us in the North. Do not repeat your previous mistake, because the price you will pay will be much worse.” He urged the international community to support Israel in its war against Hamas. Our war is also your war,” he said. “If we do not stand together in a united front, it will reach you as well.”
Netanyahu spoke on the 10th day of the Gaza war, which began when Hamas killed 1,300 civilians and soldiers and took nearly 200 people hostage, including Americans and other foreigners. Several violent exchanges on the northern border have sparked fear of a second front with Hezbollah, following Iran’s warning that it was prepared to intervene.
US President Joe Biden has also warned Iran against such a step. The newest US aircraft carrier, which is the world’s largest, was already in the Eastern Mediterranean and is due to be joined by a second US aircraft carrier in the coming days. Some 2,000 US troops could be preemptively sent to the region due to the escalating war, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
Asked by reporters about a possible visit by Biden, which Israeli media have reported could happen this week, IDF Spokesman R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari said a “visit by the president of the United States has strategic importance.” Blinken then confirmed that Biden would travel to Israel on Wednesday.
“Its strategic importance is for the entire Middle East and the impact in which the highest-level figure in the United States comes to Israel in time of war,” he said.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said Washington must be held to account for “the crimes of the Zionist regime… Iran considers that the United States is already militarily involved in the conflict between Israel and Palestinians.”
Putin said Russia was ready to help end Gaza conflict Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Netanyahu and said Russia was ready to help end the Gaza conflict, the Kremlin said.
“Vladimir Putin informed [Netanyahu] about the steps Russia is taking to help normalize the situation, prevent further escalation of violence, and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip,” it said.
Earlier on Monday, Putin discussed the crisis with the leaders of Iran, Egypt, Syria, and the Palestinian Authority and said any form of violence against civilians was unacceptable, the Kremlin said.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said supporting the Palestinians was Tehran’s foreign policy priority, but the “resistance” groups make their own independent decisions, Iranian state media reported. Raisi was quoted as telling Putin: “There is a possibility of the conflict between Israel and [the] Palestinians expanding to other fronts.”
