Iran has asked its regional allies, especially Lebanon’s Hezbollah, to prepare for the possibility of a major and widespread conflict amid rising military tensions with the US. According to the Lebanese newspaper Nida Al Watan, this information has come from the meetings held during the recent funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran.
The report said that the leaders of the Iran-backed ‘Axis of Resistance’ are telling their allies that the time to wait is coming to an end and military preparations have become most important. Hezbollah has been instructed to be fully prepared for any situation.
Iranian officials warned that any future conflict could be more widespread, serious and prolonged than previous ones. According to the report, Iran still considers Hezbollah its most important regional ally, even though some of its other allied groups have suffered losses in recent months.
What is ‘Axis of Resistance’?
‘Axis of Resistance’ is an Iranian network that includes Hezbollah (Lebanon), Hamas (Palestine), Houthi (Yemen) and some groups in Iraq. Iran provides them weapons, money and training. Now he is telling them that the time for small fights is over, now make big preparations.
What is the meaning of this alert?
This simply means that tension is increasing again in the Middle East. Iran is uniting its allies and groups so that if there is any major conflict with America or Israel, they can fight together.
It is especially important to ask Hezbollah to be prepared because it is Iran’s strongest and closest ally. Iran fears that if it had to fight alone, the damage could be greater, so it wants to activate the entire network simultaneously. This is also a kind of warning that if there is any attack, the response will come not just from Iran but from many fronts.
Houthi can close the Red Sea
Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, the most important sea route of the Persian Gulf. Now it is also hinting at closing the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea, through its Yemeni ally Houthi Rebels. The world’s two most important energy supply lines are under threat, which could impact oil prices and global trade.
Bab al-Mandeb is a narrow water route located between Yemen and Djibouti. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. A large part of Saudi Arabia’s oil exports and the route between Europe and Asia passes through here. If this route is closed, ships will have to take a long detour to the southern tip of Africa (Cape of Good Hope), which will increase both cost and time.
The Red Sea is an extremely important and strategic waterway located between Europe, Asia and Africa. It handles about 12% of world trade, 30% of international container traffic, and the bulk of global oil trade. This route greatly reduces the distance between Asia and Europe.
What will be the impact on India?
If the war between Iran and America escalates, it can have both direct and indirect effects on India. Oil supply gets affected when there is a major conflict in the Middle East. India is the third largest oil importer in the world. Due to oil becoming expensive, the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas will increase. This will increase inflation and put a burden on the pockets of the common man.
Lakhs of Indians work in Gulf countries like UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar and remittances worth billions of rupees come from there. If the war spreads, their jobs and security could be affected. Apart from this, India has good relations with America, Israel and Iran. India will have to strike a balance very carefully.
Also read: Iran US War: Keep air conditioners off, control the use of electricity…’, why did Iran, which is giving a befitting reply to the American attacks, make this appeal to the public?