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World leaders rushed Sunday to ease tensions in the Middle East and avoid a new war as Israel vowed to retaliate for deadly rocket attacks on the occupied Golan Heights.
Israel blamed the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group for the rocket attack that killed 12 children and young people at a soccer field, the deadliest attack on Israel since the Hamas-led uprising of October 7 last year.
On Sunday morning, Israeli warplanes struck seven Hezbollah targets “deep inside Lebanese territory,” according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), but this did not result in the widespread retaliation that some observers had feared.
Israel has been exchanging regular gunfire with Hezbollah since October last year, and Foreign Minister Israel Katz suggested over the weekend that “we are approaching the moment of all-out war against Hezbollah and Lebanon,” hinting at the possibility of an all-out conflict.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on Sunday that Hezbollah “will pay a heavy price for its actions.”
Hezbollah strongly denied responsibility for Saturday’s rocket attack on the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights.
Israel’s Western allies condemned the attack, while world leaders also called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to show restraint and prevent a war from erupting in the region alongside the ongoing Gaza conflict.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned the attack and said the UK was “deeply concerned about the risk of further escalation and instability.” “Hezbollah has made it clear that their attacks must stop,” Lammy said in a post on X.
The UK condemns the attack in the Golan Heights, which has tragically taken the lives of at least 12 people.
We are deeply concerned about the risk of further escalation and instability.
We have been clear that Hezbollah must stop its attacks.
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) July 28, 2024
In Tokyo, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed Israel’s “right to defend its people and our determination to ensure they can do so,” but added that U.S. officials “do not want to see the conflict escalate.”
US Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer argued that “the real evil in the region is Iran and its proxies Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis,” but he told CBS that no one wants a bigger war.
“We hope that there will be moves towards de-escalation,” he said.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry warned Israel that any new military “adventures” in Lebanon could lead to “unforeseen consequences and reactions to such foolish actions.”
“The Zionist regime’s ignorant actions could lead to increased instability, unrest and the scope of war in the region,” the foreign ministry spokesman said.
Egypt warned the attack could escalate into a “comprehensive regional war”, while France called for “all measures to be taken to avoid a new military escalation”.
The Lebanese government condemned “all acts of violence and attacks against all civilians” and called for “an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts.” The government said “the targeting of civilians is a clear violation of international law and contrary to humanitarian principles.”
Two security sources told Reuters that Hezbollah was on high alert in preparation for an Israeli attack and had cleared several key positions in southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley.
Lebanon has reportedly urged the United States, Israel’s largest financial and military donor, to exercise restraint, and in turn, the United States has called on the Lebanese government to convey a message to Hezbollah asking it to also exercise restraint.
“The Middle East is in crisis. The world and the region cannot afford a new open conflict,” warned Tor Wenesland, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process.
According to Reuters, the Israeli attacks have killed around 350 Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon and more than 100 civilians, including medical workers, children and journalists.