TEHRAN, June 22: Iran says Hezbollah is capable of defending itself and Lebanon, warning Israel that it would be the "ultimate loser" in an all-out war with the Lebanese armed group.
Tehrans statement on Friday came as fears of a major Israeli offensive in Lebanon continued to mount.
"Any imprudent decision by the occupying Israeli regime to save itself could plunge the region into a new war, the consequence of which would be the destruction of Lebanons infrastructure as well as that of the 1948 occupied territories," Irans mission to the United Nations said in a social media post.
"Undoubtedly, this war will have one ultimate loser, which is the Zionist regime. The Lebanese Resistance Movement, Hezbollah, has the capability to defend itself and Lebanon - perhaps the time for the self-annihilation of this illegitimate regime has come."
Israel also issued a threat to Iran-aligned Hezbollah on Friday with Foreign Minister Israel Katz saying "soon we will make the necessary decisions" about confronting the Lebanese group.
"The free world must unconditionally stand with Israel in its war against the axis of evil led by Iran and extremist Islam. Our war is also your war," Katz said.
—AL JAZEERA
