Why Iran softened its tone after a stinging ultimatum to Israel

Iran is facing a dilemma as it tries to manage the escalating conflict between Israel and Gaza. On one hand, Iran wants to support its proxy groups in the region, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, but getting directly involved in the conflict could have serious consequences for Iran, both domestically and internationally. For now, Iran has given its blessing for limited cross-border raids by Hezbollah on Israeli military targets, but is trying to prevent any major escalation that would draw Iran itself into the conflict. Iran’s priority is the survival of the Islamic Republic.