Hezbollah says attack on Iran would set Middle East ablaze

Reuters ^ | 2/29/2012 | Michael Stott, Samia Nakhoul

[Signalman]

(Reuters) - An Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear program would set the Middle East ablaze, possibly drag in the United States and unleash a conflict beyond the Jewish state's control, the deputy head of Lebanon's pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement said.

World oil prices have risen to 10-month highs on escalating tensions between the West and Iran. The United States and Israel have not ruled out a military strike on Iran to halt its nuclear program, which Israel believes is intended to build atomic weapons and Tehran says is for producing energy.

"America knows that if there is a war on Iran, this means that the whole region will be set alight, with no limit to the fires," Hezbollah deputy Sheikh Naim Qassem told Reuters.

Qassem also said the movement's fighters, estimated to number several thousand, were better trained and equipped to retaliate against Israel than in 2006, when the Jewish state fought a month-long war in southern Lebanon.

"Gone are the days when Israel decides to strike, and the people are silent," he said.

"Israel could start a war ... but it does not know the scale of the consequences and it is incapable of controlling them."

The Hezbollah deputy said he believed Israel would try to drag a reluctant United States into confrontation with Tehran because it could not inflict sufficient losses on Iran alone.

U.S. officials have said that non-military pressure such as sanctions on Iran should be given time to work, while Israel has hinted it could launch a pre-emptive strike on Tehran.

But he expected Israel might try to overcome U.S. concerns about military action and drag it into conflict with Tehran.

[stylin19a]

set the mid-east ablaze ? ..so there IS an upside.

[EGPWS]

"America knows that if there is a war on Iran, this means that the whole region will be set alight, with no limit to the fires," Hezbollah deputy Sheikh Naim Qassem told Reuters.

We mustn't disrupt the tranquil resonance in place in the middle east presently for crying out loud. LOL!

[gop4lyf]

How could you tell ?

[InsidiousMongo]

Really? The Middle East ablaze? Should we be happy or sad? I just can’t tell. Yes the sarcasm is pouring out.

[goseminoles]

Ablaze? Im not sure there is anything to burn there.

[Colorado Cowgirl]

‘If the Arabs put down their weapons today , there would be no more violence. If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel .” Benjamin Netanyahu

[Pollster1]

Syria

Israel

Egypt

Jordan

Iraq

Iran

Yemen

[Note: other countries omitted out of laziness, not a lack of material.] Exactly what are they claiming would change if we "set the Middle East ablaze"?