Iran says Hezbollah will attack Israel

• Tweet

TEHRAN, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Hezbollah will retaliate against Israel if it attacks the Islamic Republic, a senior Iranian army officer said.

"If the Zionist entity carries out any steps against us, resistance groups, particularly Hezbollah in Lebanon, given their central role in our defensive strategy will respond against this entity," the Iranian news agency Mehr quoted Maj.Gen. Yahia Safavi as saying.

"The defense of the Palestinian people comes within the framework of our defensive strategy and Lebanon and Syria also constitute the core of our defensive strategy," he reportedly said.

The Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth Sunday said the U.S. military is prepared and ready to strike Iran once it receives the go-ahead from Washington.

"The United States is prepared for an immediate attack," the paper said.

Adm. James A. Winnefeld, the vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chief of Staff, who wound up a two-day visit to Israel, Thursday tried to persuade Israel not to attack Iran alone, the paper said.