Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group called on Saturday for the Middle East to stand against Israel and the US after they launched a joint military offensive against Iran, after long weeks of escalating regional tensions and burgeoning threats of conflict.

Hezbollah condemned the “American-Israeli hostilities against the Islamic Republic,” but stopped short of pledging to retaliate against Israel, amid fears that it could become involved in the conflict.

The Lebanese terrorist organization also did not intervene in the 12-day war between Israel and Iran last June, which the US briefly joined.

“We call on countries and people of the region to stand strong in the face of these hostile designs,” Hezbollah said in a statement, warning that “its dire consequences will affect everyone without exception if left unchecked.”

“We’re certain that the American-Israeli enemy will be dealt a major blow, and reap nothing but failure from its criminal, tyrannical aggression,” Hezbollah added.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem was scheduled to make a televised speech later Saturday, but it was subsequently postponed.

The statement came after a Hezbollah official had told AFP this week that it would not intervene militarily in the event of “limited” US strikes, but would consider any attack against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a “red line.” Khamenei was among the senior Iranian officials........

© The Times of Israel