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Iran's acting foreign minister has said its proxy groups will make Lebanon “a hell without return” for Israel in the event of an invasion, as US envoy Amos Hochstein was scheduled to arrive in France in his latest effort to avert a full-blown conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Speaking on the sidelines of a government summit, Ali Bagheri Kani said Iran-backed groups in Lebanon have played an “active role” in attacks and diplomatic efforts against Israel, which has created “necessary deterrence”.
“Lebanon definitely will be a hell without return for the Zionists,” he added.
His comments came as fears grow of an Israeli invasion of Lebanon, which has been hit by daily attacks since the day after the war in Gaza began in October.
Several hours after Mr Kani's remarks, the Israeli military said it had killed a senior Hezbollah commander – Muhammad Nimah Nasser, known by his nom de guerre Hajj Abu Nimah – in south Lebanon.
A Lebanese security source told The National that Mr Nasser was commander of the Aziz Unit, one of Hezbollah's three divisions in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said “an enemy drone targeted a car” in Tyre, a coastal city around 20 kilometres from the border.
The Israeli military described Mr Nasser and Sami Abdullah, who was killed last month, as two of the most senior Hezbollah commanders in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah has acknowledged the deaths of three commanders since hostilities broke out – Wissam Al Tawil, head of the elite Radwan Force who was killed in January, Mr Abdullah and Mr Nasser.
Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets into Israeli territory after Mr Nasser's death, as it did after the other two commanders were killed.
In Beirut last month, Mr Hochstein said the need for de-escalation was “urgent” and that it would be in “everyone’s interest” to avert a conflict by diplomacy.
The American envoy played a big role in an agreement that demarcated the maritime border between Lebanon and Israel, although the land border remains heavily contested.
Resolving that problem could help reduce the danger of a conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, analysts said.
French President Emmanuel Macron had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to prevent a “conflagration” between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon during a telephone call on Tuesday.
Mr Macron “reiterated his serious concern over a deepening of tensions between Hezbollah and Israel … and underscored the absolute need to prevent a conflagration that would harm the interests of Lebanon as well as Israel,” the French presidency said in a statement.
Israel has approved plans for a land incursion into southern Lebanon to allow tens of thousands of Israelis to return to their homes, and to clear the threat from Hezbollah.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Wednesday that Israeli forces would take any action necessary against Hezbollah but that they preferred a negotiated arrangement.
“We are striking Hezbollah very hard every day and we will also reach a state of full readiness to take any action required in Lebanon, or to reach an arrangement from a position of strength. We prefer an arrangement, but if reality forces us we will know how to fight,” Mr Gallant said.
Hezbollah said it will not end its attacks until Israel stops its bombardment of the Gaza Strip, where about 38,000 Palestinians have been killed since Hamas launched a deadly raid into southern Israel on October 7.
Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem had reiterated that stance on Tuesday, telling the Associated Press that the group “will stop without any discussion” its attacks if there was a ceasefire in Gaza.
