Iran issued a stark warning to Israel on Sunday, threatening a significantly stronger military response if Israel expands its operations in Lebanon or retaliates for the recent Iranian missile attack. The warning came hours after Iran launched missiles toward Israel and following an Israeli strike in Beirut’s Dahieh district.

The statement was released by Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Emergency Command, which accused Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire and escalating its military actions in Lebanon.

According to the statement, Iran claims Israel is acting with the support and approval of the United States and is committing what Tehran described as war crimes, including the alleged use of prohibited weapons such as phosphorus bombs.

Iranian officials focused much of their criticism on the Israeli strike in Dahieh, the southern Beirut suburb that serves as a major Hezbollah stronghold. The statement charged that, despite previous warnings from the Islamic Republic, Israel had crossed every red line by intensifying attacks in southern Lebanon and striking Dahieh as well.

The warning came after Israel carried out its first strike in Dahieh since the ceasefire announced last week by President Donald Trump. Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisroel Katz said the operation was conducted in response to Hezbollah attacks on Israeli territory and harm caused to Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon.

Iran indicated that it views the strike on Dahieh as a major escalation. The statement said Tehran had previously warned that if attacks in the Beirut suburb expanded, Iran would target objectives in what it referred to as the “occupied territories.” It also called on Israel to immediately cease military operations in southern Lebanon and in Dahieh.

The most severe threat appeared at the end of the statement, where Iranian officials warned that any expansion of Israeli attacks in the area, or any Israeli response to Iranian military action, would be met with “crushing and more severe blows” that would leave Israel regretting its actions and would trigger destructive attacks against the Israeli government and its supporters.

Separately, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued its own statement, claiming that its agreement to a ceasefire in April had been contingent on a halt to fighting across all fronts. The group accused both the United States and Israel of violating those understandings by continuing military operations in Lebanon and by allegedly targeting Iranian interests at sea.

The Revolutionary Guards stated that the overnight operation was intended as a warning and cautioned that if the attacks continue, Iran’s response would be much broader and would include American and Israeli targets throughout the region.

{Matzav.com}