Israeli defense minister warns Hezbollah against joining Israel-Iran war

ANKARA

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Friday warned the Lebanese group Hezbollah against joining the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.

“The secretary-general of Hezbollah does not learn from the lessons of his predecessors and threatens to act against Israel according to the orders" from Iran, Katz said.

“I suggest to the Lebanese proxy to be careful,” he added.

On Thursday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said that the Lebanese-based group "is not neutral and stands alongside Iran.”

In a statement, Qaseem said the group will “act as we see appropriate in confronting this brutal Israeli-American aggression."

Hostilities broke out last Friday when Israel launched airstrikes on several sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.

Israeli authorities said at least 25 people have been killed and hundreds injured since then in Iranian missile attacks.

Meanwhile, in Iran, 639 people have been killed and more than 1,300 wounded in the Israeli assault, according to Iranian media reports.