The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Iran are said to be planning a "direct attack" on Israel should negotiations on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip fail.
A possible ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which is anticipated to be reached this week, could only prevent Iran from launching a retaliatory attack for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, according to Iranian sources who spoke to Reuters under the condition of anonymity.
US ambassador to Turkey, Jeff Flake, previously stated that Washington has urged Ankara to encourage Tehran to de-escalate tensions in the region. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani emphasized that Western appeals for Tehran to avoid a retaliatory response "lack political logic."
