Iran Warns It Will Intervene If Israel Launches Ground Assault In Gaza

Iran warned on Saturday that it will intervene in the Israel-Hamas conflict if the Israel Defense Force (IDF) launches a ground assault in the Gaza Strip, according to diplomatic sources who spoke to Axios.

Iran has supported and funded Hamas for decades and views the terrorist group as a proxy that can carry out attacks on its behalf. Iran sent a message to Israel through the U.N. on Saturday that it will intervene in the Israel-Hamas conflict if the IDF begins a ground assault in Gaza, raising the threat of a much broader regional war, according to Axios.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met with a UN diplomat on Saturday to discuss the conflict, according to Axios. Amir-Abdollahian said that Iran does not want to get involved in the conflict, but that it would if Israel crosses the “red line” of launching a ground assault in Gaza, according to Axios. Amir-Abdollahian also said Iran wants to assist in efforts to free the over 120 hostages Hamas has taken since Oct. 7.

Iran could intervene in the conflict in a number of ways; it could work through Hezbollah, a Lebanese terrorist group that it also uses as a proxy, and launch an attack through Israel’s northern border from Lebanon. It could also choose to get involved directly in the conflict through the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.