On Saturday, a stern caution was issued by Iran to Israel, along with its ally, the United States, asserting that Israel had breached significant boundaries in the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
On October 7, Hamas orchestrated the most fatal militant attack by Palestinians in Israel's history, prompting Israel to respond with its most intense airstrikes on Gaza. According to the Associated Press, as of Sunday, the casualties in Israel have surpassed 1,400. Simultaneously, over 8,000 Palestinians in Gaza have lost their lives.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has declared his nation to be in a state of war and has halted the provision of essential supplies including food, fuel, electricity, and medicine to Gaza. With an estimated population of about 2.3 million, Israel has summoned 360,000 army reservists in anticipation of a probable ground offensive into the territory.
In the midst of this escalating conflict, Iran, a longstanding adversary of Israel, continues to stand as a significant supporter of Hamas, an organization designated as a terrorist entity by the U.S. While it remains unclear whether Iran directly sanctioned the attack on October 7, its past contributions of funding and weaponry to the militant group are widely believed to have facilitated the assault. Iran has consistently denied any involvement in the incident.
President Raisi communicated a statement through his official account on X, a platform formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday, alleging that Israel had transgressed "red lines," while also criticizing the U.S. for its steadfast backing of the nation.
"Zionist regime's crimes have crossed the red lines, which may force everyone to take action," his statement declared. "Washington asks us to not do anything, but they keep giving widespread support to Israel. The US sent messages to the Axis of Resistance but received a clear response on the battlefield."
Raisi's statement did not expound on the specifics of what was signified by "red lines." Similar recent declarations from the Iranian president have also left this aspect unclarified. However, in a statement released by Iran's Tasnim News Agency on Sunday, Raisi accused the U.S. of displaying hypocrisy in its support of Israel.
"Americans who claim human rights, who equip and support this fake and anti-human regime with military equipment for crimes in Gaza, what answer do they have to their nation and the nations of the world for these actions?" questioned Raisi's statement.
Newsweek made efforts to contact both Israeli and U.S. officials for comment through email.
In addition, Raisi's Saturday statement made reference to the "axis of resistance," an expression denoting an informal coalition in the Middle East region, variably backed by Iran. This coalition encompasses entities like Hamas, Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group also classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S., the Syrian government, and a multitude of other groups and governments, as per NPR's explanation.
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