Israel warns of military action against Iran if Hezbollah joins war

Israel's Minister of Economy and Industry, Nir Barkat, has said that his country will cut off “the head of the snake” and launch a military attack on Iran if Hezbollah joins the war against the Iran-backed Hamas militant group.

He made the remarks in an exclusive interview with The Mail on October 23, Caliber.Az reports, citing Iran International.

Barkat stated that Israel would take action not only against Hezbollah but also against Iran if Hezbollah takes action against Israel on its northern border, claiming "we will go to the head of the snake, which is Iran".

The warnings come after consistent threats from Tehran that if Israel does not cease its air attack on Gaza following Hamas' declaration of war on October 7, it will activate its other proxies, from Hezbollah in Lebanon to the Houthis in Yemen. A potential Israeli ground operation further raises tensions.

Hezbollah has become increasingly active on Israel's northern border since the war broke out following a Hamas rocket barrage and infiltration of thousands of its terrorists by air, land and sea, massacring hundreds of civilians in the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. Its troops have been caught infiltrating the northern border as well as sending UAVs and anti-tank missiles.

Israel's Institute of National Security Studies estimates Hezbollah's troops to be between 50,000 and 100,000. It is Iran's most powerful proxy in the Middle East. 

Barakat added, “Lebanon and Hezbollah are going to pay a heavy price, similar to what Hamas is going to pay. But that's not enough…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,” he underlined.