Hundreds of missiles were fired at Israel on Tuesday evening, with its armed forces cautioning civilians to take shelter in bunkers in towns and cities across the country. The barrage came hours after the Israeli army launched what it called “localized and targeted ground raids” in neighboring Lebanon, forcing as many as 100,000 residents to flee their homes, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
At the same time, Stano hinted that both sides were to blame for the escalations: “Successive waves of attacks and retaliations have been fueling an uncontrollable spiral of conflict,” he said. “The EU remains fully committed to contribute to lower the tensions and to avert a dangerous regional war.”
On Friday, Israel conducted an airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, that killed Hezbollah’s long-time leader Hassan Nasrallah. In August, meanwhile, Israeli intelligence killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh while the militant group’s leader was in Tehran for the inauguration of the country’s new president, Mahmoud Peszkesian.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock added her voice to those calling for restraint, saying “we have urgently warned Iran about this dangerous escalation. Iran must stop the attack immediately. It is driving the region further to the brink of the abyss.”
And Starmer, after emphasizing that his country stands with Israel, said: “I am deeply concerned that the region is on the brink and I am deeply concerned about the risk of miscalculation.”
The dramatic escalation in the conflict comes after almost a year of tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, the militant group that controls much of south Lebanon and is part of the Iran-backed ‘Axis of Resistance’ that has stepped up attacks since the start of the war in Gaza.