Israel vows to ‘wipe’ Iran, Hezbollah ‘off face of Earth’ if terror group joins Hamas in war: report
Israel vowed Friday to launch a full-scale military attack against Iran if its terror group Hezbollah joins the ongoing war, according to a report.
Nir Barkat, Israel’s Minister of Economy, warned that it would “eliminate Hezbollah,” their proxy terror group in Lebanon, if it follows through on threats to throw its military support behind Hamas.
“The plan of Iran is to attack Israel on all fronts. If we find they intend to target Israel, we will not just retaliate to those fronts, but we will go to the head of the snake, which is Iran,” Barkat told the Daily Mail.
“The Ayatollahs in Iran are not going to sleep good at night, we are going to make sure they pay a heavy price if, God forbid, they open the northern front.”
Hezbollah has been exchanging fire with Israeli forces on the Lebanese border over the past two weeks in retaliation against the Israel Defense Force’s unrelenting bombing of the Gaza Strip.
The Lebanon-based militia and Iranian officials reportedly helped Hamas refine tactical and strategic plans for the Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel that left 1,300 dead and took nearly 200 hostage.
Hezbollah leaders proclaimed last week it was “fully prepared” to join the fighting in support of Hamas.
If Israel discovers Hezbollah is fully opening a war front on Israel’s northern border, the IDF will launch an unforgiving charge against Iran, which Barkat said is synonymous with Hezbollah.
The terror group “will not escalate without the order of Iran,” he said, adding that there is a “global alignment of evil” between Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah.
“Lebanon and Hezbollah are going to pay a heavy price, similar to what Hamas is going to pay. But that’s not enough,” Barkat said.
“The very clear message is that we are going to be going after the heads of Iran as well. When will we do that? When we decide.
“Israel has a very clear message to our enemies. We are saying to them, look what’s happening in Gaza – you are going to get the same treatment if you attack us. We are going to wipe you off the face of the Earth.”
The Biden administration has been urging Israeli leaders against carrying out any major strike against Hezbollah, warning that the Middle Eastern country would struggle in a two-front war.
US officials believe the conflict against the powerful militia would lead to an intense escalation that would draw in both the US and Iran.
The White House is already in talks about deploying its military force in the increasing chance Hezbollah joins the war, insiders told Axios.
Barkat’s incendiary comments come as Israel ramps up its militia in anticipation of an expected ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.
A formation of tanks was positioned at the southern border Friday, where 300,000 soldiers are already camped out.
Hamas has claimed it is holding about 203 Israeli hostages within the network of tunnels it built underneath Gaza — which Barkat vowed will become the “world’s biggest cemetery.”
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