Iran understands Israel ready for ‘full-fledged’ regional war
This week’s coordinated explosions in Lebanon have clarified to Iran that Israel is “very much willing” to expand its conflict in the region and will use a wide range of tools, including new technology, to do it, according to Tohid Asadi, an assistant professor at the University of Tehran.
The development has sparked concern in Iran that the entire West Asia region could be thrown into an “all-out, full-fledged war”, Asadi told Al Jazeera.
“That is something the Iranians are not interested in at any level, … but at the same time, Iranian officials understand the Israelis have no intention of de-escalating the situation,” he said.
While Iran’s government has sent messages of solidarity to its ally Hezbollah, it has so far stopped short of speaking about “practical plans” so as not to “give the game away”, Asadi added.
Israel files official objection to ICC warrant against Netanyahu, Gallant
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein says the government has argued in the case that the International Criminal Court (ICC) lacked jurisdiction to issue arrest warrants in May for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
“Israel submitted two separate legal briefs. In one brief, Israel outlined the ICC’s manifest lack of jurisdiction in the present case,” he said.
“And in another brief, Israel detailed the ICC Prosecutor’s wrongful breach of the Court’s Statute and the principle of complementarity, in failing to provide Israel with the opportunity to exercise its right to investigate by itself the claims raised by the Prosecutor, before proceeding,” Marmorstein added.
He also said that “no other democracy with an independent and respected legal system like that which exists in Israel has been treated in this prejudicial manner by the Prosecutor.”
Israel attempting to decouple its actions in Lebanon from Gaza
While Hezbollah has clearly stated that the group’s attacks on northern Israel would stop if a ceasefire in Gaza was reached, “Israel wants to decouple these two things as if they were separate,” Hassan Barari, an analyst at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera.
“Israel continues to ignore what Biden says because he has failed to condition his support to its actions,” Barari said, adding that the US has never stopped supplying Israel with weapons and taking its side at the UN.
The analyst said Israel seems increasingly inclined to use its military prowess to obtain what it wants in Lebanon, which may mean invading the southern part of the country to push Hezbollah beyond the Litani River and allow displaced Israelis to move back to the north of the country.
Israel’s president claims country needs war to return residents to its north
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog says the Gaza war and the possible war in Lebanon is necessary to bring “the displaced citizens from north and south to their homes, schools, and businesses”.
“I repeat again and again – we did not want this war. We do not want war – not today, not ever,” he said on X.
“Last night, we saw the precise and impressive actions of Israel’s Air Force against Hezbollah. We salute them, along with all our security forces, for their tremendous efforts in this difficult war,” Herzog added.
If you don't want war, stop killing people. You're dragging out and escalating this war every single day.
