Despite missile strikes launched by Iran into Israel in retaliation for the killing of a Hezbollah leader, CNN Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour asserts that Iran does not desire further escalation in the conflict.
CNN's Chief International Anchor, Christiane Amanpour, expressed a firm stance that Iran does not seek to escalate the conflict with Israel or the United States during the network's coverage of Iran's missile strikes into Israel. The strikes were a response to Israel's airstrike that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon last week.
"Nobody, nobody - not the Lebanese nor the Iranians, want this to escalate even further. Iran does not want an Israeli or a U.S. war against it," Amanpour stated on Tuesday morning, suggesting that the missile barrage was intended to elicit a minimal response from Israeli forces.
Iran Seeks to Avoid Escalation in Conflict with Israel, Amanpour Maintains
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared that the barrage of missiles was retaliation for the killing of Nasrallah in Beirut and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. The military group threatened "crushing attacks" if Israel were to retaliate against the missile barrage.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to retaliate for Nasrallah's death, stating that "The blood of the martyr shall not go unavenged."
Iran Seeks to Avoid Escalation in Conflict with Israel, Amanpour Maintains
During her appearance on CNN, Amanpour reported that Iranian leaders had been exercising restraint to avoid a broader war. "It’s incredibly important to be absolutely precise about what’s going on. So far, there is no evidence that anything has landed, that it is being intercepted, according to our correspondents on the ground. And also, the United States and Israel said that they assessed that the targets would be three Israeli air bases and an intelligence base," she said.
"That's very important to keep in mind," Amanpour added.
Iran Seeks to Avoid Escalation in Conflict with Israel, Amanpour Maintains
IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari confirmed that Israel's forces had carried out "quite a few interceptions," noting that there were "no reported casualties." However, he mentioned that there were "some impacts in the center and areas in the south of the country."
Amanpour continued her analysis of Iran and Lebanon's perspectives on the conflict. "The Iranian foreign minister told me in New York during the United Nations that they were showing – and this is again before Friday’s assassination – that they were showing restraint and that Hezbollah was showing restraint as well, and that it wanted, you know, to de-escalate all of this."
She observed that both countries felt trapped and resisted the idea of being drawn into a war prior to Nasrallah's death.
"So then comes the assassination of their client, Hassan Nasrallah," she said, adding, "Hezbollah is meant to be the frontline troops of Iran. So this response from Iran is more likely because it feels it has been left no choice."
Despite Amanpour's assertion that Iran and Lebanon do not desire an escalation, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan labeled the attack "a significant escalation by Iran, a significant event" during a White House briefing.
