The commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' elite Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, warned on Monday that persistent Israeli military campaigns in both Gaza and Lebanon risk igniting a coordinated escalation from Tehran-backed networks throughout the Middle East.
According to statements broadcast by the state-affiliated Fars news agency, Qaani asserted that Israeli “aggression" in the two conflict zones - which he alleged is being sustained by American assistance - will only fortify the determination of the “Axis of Resistance" to broaden its assistance to regional proxy networks and mobilize new combat theaters.
Qaani specifically warned regarding global maritime security, threatening a scenario he termed the “equalization" of transit environments within the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Hormuz.
The two targeted oceanic lanes are widely recognized as some of the most critical maritime chokepoints on the planet. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea directly to the Gulf of Aden, serves as a vital artery for global commerce alongside the Strait of Hormuz, with both handling an immense volume of international energy supplies and commercial cargo daily.
Qaani’s warnings followed reports that the Islamic Republic had suspended indirect negotiations with the United States, citing Israel's expanding military operations in Lebanon.
US President Donald Trump later insisted that talks with Iran are ongoing, writing on Truth Social, “Talks are continuing, at a rapid pace, with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
In a subsequent interview with ABC News, Trump said that he thinks he will have an agreement with Iran to extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz "over the next week."
Trump also downplayed Iran’s announcement that it was halting with the US, describing it as a “little glitch".
"There was a little glitch today, but I turned that one around very quickly, as you probably noticed earlier," Trump said, adding that the so-called glitch was the Iranians being upset about Israel's attacks on Lebanon.
"So, I spoke with Hezbollah, and I said no shooting, and I talked to Bibi, and said, no shooting, and they both stopped shooting each other," the President stated.