As the potential for a significant escalation in the conflict between Israel and Lebanon continues to grow, an Iraqi militia warns it will begin targeting US forces if Washington continues supporting Tel Aviv.
Qais Al Khazali, leader of Asa’ib Ahl Al Haq, in a televised speech on Monday, stated, “Recently, we have noticed leaks indicating that the usurping Israeli entity intends to expand its operations by attacking beloved Lebanon and the mujahideen in Hezbollah,” he said. “These leaks suggest that the United States of America will continue to support this entity.”
Al Khazali added that if the US continues its support of Israel, “then America should know that it will put all its interests in the region, particularly in Iraq, at risk and make them a target.”
Asa’ib Ahl Al Haq is an influential Iraqi Shia organization with a militia and a political arm that holds 17 seats in Parliament. The armed wing is a member of the Axis of Resistance, a collection of militaries that includes Iran’s IRGC Quds Force, Iraqi as well as Syrian Shi’ite militias, the Houthis, and Lebanese Hezbollah. These groups are all generally associated with the fight against US, Israeli, and jihadist forces in the region.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein expressed concern that a war in Lebanon will pervade the region. “If there is an attack on southern Lebanon, God forbid, it will affect the whole region,” he said, adding, “expanding the war is not only a danger to Lebanon but to the entire region.”
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown also said if Israel attacks Lebanon, the war could draw in other forces. Iran “would be more inclined to support Hezbollah.” He continued, “particularly if they felt that Hezbollah was being significantly threatened.”
Top officials in Israel say that Hezbollah is running out of time to withdraw from Lebanon’s southern border before Tel Aviv orders an assault. Hezbollah says the conflict with Israel – which so far has been limited to daily exchanges of rocket fire and bombs – could end if Tel Aviv ends the onslaught in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintains that he will not agree to a permanent end to the military operations in Gaza. He recently said Israel would draw down some forces from Gaza but reposition those military assets to its northern border to prepare for war with Hezbollah.
Kyle Anzalone is the opinion editor of Antiwar.com, news editor of the Libertarian Institute, and co-host of Conflicts of Interest.
The Iraqi FM makes his points realistically and articulately. Anybody listening anywhere, in DC perhaps?………………………………………………
Nope
A mess.
… And Hezbollah said Israel is running out of time to announce a ceasefire in Gaza and evacuate its troops or else get racketeered on their industrial infrastructures in Tel Aviv and Haifa…!
Bring our troops home and balance the budget. Borrow and spend Democrats and Republicans are traitors. Resist borrowed money war spending by internal enemies of America.
No worries, folks. Biden still has plenty of time to destroy everything and whoever is the President in November will do the same.