Image Credits - Mint
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has called for support from the United Kingdom and France, urging them to take a firm stance against Iranian aggression. In discussions held in Jerusalem with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne, Katz emphasized the need for a unified stance against Iran’s activities.
Katz conveyed Israel’s expectation that both France and the UK should explicitly warn Iran against attacking Israel. He emphasized that if Iran continues its direct aggression, particularly through proxy groups, it will face severe consequences in strategic and economic domains. Katz further asserted that Israel anticipates not only defensive backing from the U.S.-led coalition but also their participation in retaliatory strikes on critical Iranian targets.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry’s statement underscored the urgency of preventing a broader conflict, with Katz stating that Iran must be made aware of the heavy price it would pay if it failed to halt its aggressive actions. The Israeli Foreign Minister highlighted that Israel would respond decisively to any attack, leaving no room for restraint.
The tension in the Middle East has intensified following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and the killing of Fuad Shukr, a high-ranking commander of Hezbollah, in Beirut. While Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah have accused Israel of orchestrating these killings and have vowed retaliation, Israel has remained tight-lipped regarding Haniyeh’s death. However, Israeli officials have indicated that Shukr’s assassination was a response to a deadly attack on Majdal Shams, a Druze town in the Golan Heights, which resulted in the deaths of 12 individuals. Hezbollah, for its part, has denied any involvement in the Golan Heights incident.
As Israel navigates this increasingly volatile situation, its calls for international support from key allies like the UK and France signal a desire to strengthen diplomatic and strategic alliances to counter Iran’s influence in the region.