Media: Hezbollah urges Iran to attack Israel, but Tehran refrains

Hezbollah has urged Iran to launch an attack against Israel, as fighting between the Lebanese militant group and the Israeli military has dramatically escalated.

However, Iranian officials have so far refrained from taking such action, Caliber.Az writes via Axious.

According to two Israeli officials and a Western diplomat, Tehran communicated to Hezbollah that "the timing isn't right" due to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's current presence in New York for the UN General Assembly. Pezeshkian emphasized that Israel, not Iran, seeks a wider war in the region and stressed the need for caution.

Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have reached their highest point since the 2006 Lebanon War. Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed hundreds of people, including civilians, and forced tens of thousands to flee southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah, in turn, has launched widespread rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel, injuring several and putting millions at risk. Israeli officials claim they have significantly weakened Hezbollah's rocket and missile capabilities, causing severe damage to the group's communications and command structures.

Amid this heightened conflict, Hezbollah reached out to Iran, requesting retaliatory action after the Israeli assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran two months ago. Despite Iran’s previous vow to retaliate for Haniyeh’s death, Tehran has not yet taken direct action. In conversations with Hezbollah, Iranian officials expressed hesitation about joining the conflict now, signalling that the conditions are not favourable for Tehran's involvement.

The US and Israel remain vigilant about potential Iranian involvement, with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussing the possibility of Iranian engagement with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant. Austin underscored that the US is ready to deter any actors seeking to exploit the situation or escalate the conflict further. While Hezbollah cannot stand alone against Israel, which is supported by Western allies, Iran has so far refrained from deepening its direct involvement in the ongoing war.