Iran stated on Sunday (October 13) that it has “no red lines” in terms of self-defense threats. This statement comes at a time when Middle Eastern countries are on edge, as Israel has vowed to launch a strong response to the missile attack carried out by Iran two weeks ago.
According to Reuters, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi’s remarks seem aimed at dispelling the notion that Iran will endure Israeli strikes without further response.
Araqchi wrote on social media on Sunday: “While we have made great efforts in recent days to restrain a full-scale regional war, I clearly state that we have no red lines in defending our people and interests.”
On October 1, as fighting escalated between Israel and Iran’s proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iran fired over 180 ballistic missiles at Israel. Most of the missiles were intercepted, but some managed to penetrate the missile defense system and explode, with the only casualty being a Palestinian who was hit by missile fragments in the West Bank.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has issued strong warnings about potential retaliatory actions against Iran, stating, “Our strike will be deadly, precise, and most importantly – unexpected.”
The ongoing year-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza, has kept the Middle East region on high alert to prevent further escalation of the war.
According to NBC News, U.S. officials believe that Israel has narrowed down potential targets for retaliating against Iran, focusing on military and energy infrastructure. The report states that there are no signs indicating Israel will target Iran’s nuclear facilities or carry out assassination operations.
NBC’s report cited unnamed U.S. officials who said Israel has not made a final decision on how and when to act.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began a year ago when the Gaza war broke out, with Hezbollah launching rockets towards northern Israel, claiming it was in support of Hamas. In recent weeks, as Israel announced a ground offensive, the fighting between both sides has intensified.
The Israeli military stated that it will continue operations in southern Lebanon to destroy Hezbollah’s infrastructure.
The fighting in the region has also sparked attacks by other Iran-backed radical groups, such as the Houthi militants in Yemen and armed factions in Iraq, raising concerns that the U.S. and Iran might be drawn into a full-scale conflict.