Khamenei assassination could draw Hezbollah into Israel-Iran hostilities, say sources

Hezbollah may join the war between Israel and Iran if the United States intervenes directly, or if Iran’s supreme leader is killed, sources close to the Lebanese group have told Middle East Eye. 

On 14 June, Hassan Fadlallah, a Hezbollah lawmaker, stated: “Iran knows how to defend itself.” 

The comments were widely interpreted in Lebanese political circles as a sign that the war-weary group did not want to intervene in support of its Iranian allies. A Hezbollah official also told Reuters last week that the group “will not initiate an attack on Israel in response to strikes on Iran”. 

However, sources close to the party have said to MEE that the Reuters report is inaccurate. 

One source said that Hezbollah had ideological “red lines”, namely direct American military involvement in the war, or the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 

Read more: Khamenei assassination could draw Hezbollah into Israel-Iran hostilities, say sources