Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has warned Israel that the Middle East could spiral out of control if it does not stop strikes on Gaza.
He said the US was also “to blame” for providing military support to Israel.
Hours later, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu warned troops his people were in a battle for their lives and said the war was “do or die”.
More than 4,600 Palestinians have been killed in the last two weeks in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry, and Israel announced on Saturday that it was intensifying air strikes.
“I warn the US and its proxy Israel that if they do not immediately stop the crime against humanity and genocide in Gaza, anything is possible at any moment and the region will go out of control,” Amir-Abdollahian said at a news conference in Tehran.
He said that the results could be “severe, bitter” and “have far-reaching repercussions”, both regionally and for those advocating for war.
The Foreign Minister added that US military support for Israel was evidence that the ongoing conflict in Gaza was “a proxy war carried out by Israel on behalf of the United States”.
Top US officials are also warning the conflict could spread.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin warned of the prospect of “significant escalation of attacks” on US troops or citizens.
“If any group or any country is looking to widen this conflict and take advantage of this very unfortunate situation… our advice is: don’t,” he said on the ABC network’s This Week programme.
Several Iraqi bases used by US-led coalition troops have been targeted in drone and rocket attacks in recent days.
Also on Sunday, Mr Netanyahu paid a visit to troops in northern Israel near the border with Lebanon, which has seen exchanges of fire with Hezbollah since the early days of the conflict.
“We’re in a battle for our lives. A battle for our home, this is not an exaggeration, this is the war. It’s do or die they need to die,” Netanyahu said.
And in neighbouring Syria where Iran has a military presence Israeli missiles hit Damascus and Aleppo international airports early on Sunday, killing at least two workers, according to Syrian state media.
Both airports have been taken out of use given the damage to their runways.
BBC
