Iran Israel war: Are Hezbollah militants, Houthi rebels joining conflict? Leaders make big announcements

Iran-Israel conflict has evoked sharp reactions from several nations including two powerhouses -- USA, and Russia. Prior to Iran, Israel fought with Yemen's Houthi rebels and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Leaders of these outfits have now spoken in favour of Iran. Israel have long accused Tehran of using both Houthi and Hezbollah as proxies against Tel Aviv.

Houthi Praise Iran

Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said in a televised speech Thursday that Israel’s military operations against Iran is a dangerous development for the entire region, AP reported.


He said Iran repeatedly asserted that it doesn’t want to produce nuclear weapons or use them, and praised the nation’s “effective response,” saying it placed Israel in an unprecedented position.

He dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks about Iran’s unconditional surrender as “nonsense and madness,” and affirmed that Houthi operations against Israel will persist, including those targeting Israeli maritime activity.

Hezbollah to Join Iran?

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said on Thursday that the militant group would "act as we see fit" in response to the ongoing war between its main backer Iran and Israel, as per an AFP report.

In a statement, Qassem said Hezbollah was "not neutral" in the conflict between the two regional superpowers, saying that the group would "act as we see fit in the face of this brutal Israeli-American aggression", as per the AFP report.

This comes after the US special envoy for Syria warned Hezbollah against getting involved in the war.

FAQs

Q1. Who are Houthis?
A1. Houthis are Yemen-based rebels.

Q2. What is Hezbollah?
A2. Hezbollah is Lebanese militant group.