Iran warns expansion of Gaza war 'inevitable'; officials say air strikes hit hospitals

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Iran warned the scale of civilian suffering caused by Israel's war on Hamas would inevitably lead to an expansion of the conflict, as officials in Gaza reported Israeli air strikes on or near several hospitals in the Palestinian enclave.

The comments from Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian could ramp up concerns over whether Washington's diplomatic efforts and deployment of U.S. naval forces to the eastern Mediterranean will be able to keep the conflict from further destabilising the Middle East.