New Delhi:
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has promised a “tooth-breaking” response to ongoing Israeli military actions. This statement follows a dramatic escalation, including an Israeli commando raid in Lebanon, and comes days before the US presidential election, with Washington as Israel’s primary military supporter.
“The enemies, both the USA and the Zionist regime, should know that they will definitely receive a tooth-breaking response,” he declared, referring to Iran-aligned groups across the Middle East, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and factions in Yemen and Syria.
Adding to these tensions, Kamal Kharrazi, a top advisor to Khamenei, alluded to Iran’s nuclear potential, suggesting Iran may reconsider its nuclear policy if faced with an existential threat. “If an existential threat arises, Iran will modify its nuclear doctrine, we have the capability to build weapons and have no issue in this regard,” Kharrazi told Lebanese media.
The latest confrontations began with an October 1 missile strike from Iran, which Israel answered with an October 26 bombing campaign targeting Iranian military installations, reportedly killing four Iranian soldiers. Israel claims the airstrikes inflicted significant damage on Iran’s missile and air defence capacities, while Iran has vowed reprisal.
Commandos Target Hezbollah In Lebanon
In a separate operation, Israeli naval commandos seized a Hezbollah operative in Batroun, Lebanon. The captive, reportedly a senior operative undergoing maritime training, is now in Israeli custody.
“A senior operative of Hezbollah, who serves as an expert in his field, was apprehended,” the Israeli military said, as quoted by news agency AFP. “The operative has been transferred to Israeli territory and is currently being investigated.”
Lebanese authorities, including Prime Minister Najib Mikati, have decried the raid, with Mikati instructing the foreign ministry to file a complaint with the United Nations. Both Lebanon’s army and UN peacekeepers have launched investigations into the incident.
Humanitarian Crisis Intensifies In Gaza
As violence expands, conditions in Gaza deteriorate. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that a missile strike on a polio vaccination centre in north Gaza injured six people, including four children. WHO’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, condemned the attack on Sheikh Radwan health centre as “extremely concerning.”
Israel’s military reported the deaths of dozens of militants in the Jabalia area as their operations persisted. Civilian casualties continue to mount, with Gaza’s health ministry reporting over 43,000 deaths since hostilities resumed, though these figures are contested by Israeli sources.
Escalation On Israel’s Northern Border
In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes have intensified, killing nearly 2,000 people and displacing thousands, as Hezbollah retaliates with rocket fire into Israeli territory, including attacks on military sites near Haifa and Tel Aviv. In response, the US deployed B-52 bombers to the region, hoping to dissuade further escalation from Iran.
A US official warned Tehran that Washington might not be able to restrain Israel in the event of another Iranian strike. “We told the Iranians: We won’t be able to hold Israel back,” the official reportedly stated.