Kehinde Fajobi
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards commander, Hossein Salami, issued a direct warning to Israel on Thursday, threatening retaliation if Israel strikes Iran in response to recent missile attacks.
As tensions escalate, Israel has intensified its military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, a group backed by Tehran.
In a televised address, Salami cautioned, “We tell you, Israel, if you commit any aggression against any point, we will painfully attack the same point of yours.” He asserted that Iran has the capability to penetrate Israel’s defences, raising fears of a broader Middle Eastern conflict.
This comes after an October 1 missile strike from Iran, following Israeli airstrikes on Iranian-aligned militants. The situation has stirred concerns of a wider regional war, with both sides exchanging threats and military actions.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held talks on Wednesday, discussing Israel’s operations in Lebanon and Gaza while seeking to prevent the conflict from spreading.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo, where Sisi reiterated Egypt’s call to avoid further escalation.
Despite diplomatic efforts, Israel shows no signs of halting its military campaign. It has vowed to retaliate against Iran for the missile attack and continues targeting Hezbollah and Hamas. In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes killed 19 Palestinians, including children sheltering in a school at the Jabalia refugee camp.
Medhat Abbas, an official from Gaza’s health ministry, said dozens were injured in the strike. Israel’s military stated the location was being used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants.
In Lebanon, Israel has ramped up ground and air operations, claiming to have killed 45 Hezbollah fighters in the last 24 hours, including a battalion commander. The Israeli military also said it had seized large caches of weapons and destroyed Hezbollah bunkers in southern Lebanon.
According to Lebanon’s health ministry, Israeli attacks have killed at least 2,350 people over the past year, with more than 1.2 million displaced. The toll includes a significant number of women and children, but the figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. On the Israeli side, about 50 people—both soldiers and civilians—have been killed in the same period.
Hezbollah has vowed to continue its resistance, with one of its members of parliament, Hassan Fadlallah, stating the group would keep fighting, while leaders work towards a possible ceasefire through coordination with Lebanese officials. Israel, however, insists it will not cease its military operations until Hezbollah is severely weakened and displaced Israeli citizens can safely return to their homes near the Lebanese border.
Israel has also begun issuing evacuation orders in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, warning civilians to leave buildings linked to Hezbollah.
“For your safety and the safety of your family, you must evacuate this building and the surrounding buildings immediately,” Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted on social media.
The conflict has brought widespread devastation across the region, with Israeli strikes hitting official Lebanese buildings, including a major town’s municipal headquarters in southern Lebanon, where 16 people were killed.
In Beirut’s southern suburbs, an area repeatedly bombed by Israel, a displaced resident named Abdelnaser reflected on Lebanon’s grim history.
“War has become normal for us,” he said. “Every 10 years Lebanon gets built, and every 10 years it gets destroyed again.”
With no clear end in sight, both Iran and Israel remain locked in an increasingly dangerous cycle of military escalation, while diplomatic channels struggle to keep up with the growing conflict.