Foreign Secretary David Lammy (right) and Defence Secretary John Healey (left) met with Lebanese PM Najib Mikati (center) in Beirut last night. IMAGE: Reuters
In Summary:
- Foreign Secretary David Lammy calls for calm amid rising tensions between Iran and Israel.
- The UK advises its citizens to leave Lebanon due to escalating border clashes.
David Lammy has urged Iran and Israel to “avoid miscalculation” as tensions rise following the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Visiting Lebanon alongside Defence Secretary John Healey, Lammy met with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati to discuss the volatile situation.
The UK Foreign Office has advised all British citizens to leave Lebanon, warning they risk “becoming trapped in a warzone” due to mounting border clashes.
This caution comes after a week of increasing hostilities in the region.
Haniyeh’s funeral saw Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian paying their respects.
The state broadcast showed Haniyeh’s coffin being moved through Tehran, with mourners throwing flowers.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, led a prayer yesterday over the coffins of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and his bodyguard.
Israel has vowed to target Hamas leaders in response to the group’s October 7 attack on southern Israel, which ignited the conflict in Gaza.
Iran, a supporter of Hamas and Hezbollah, continues to back Palestinian militant groups.
The situation escalated further with Israel’s strike on a Beirut suburb, targeting a Hezbollah commander linked to a recent deadly rocket attack on the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.
In a bid to de-escalate the situation, Lammy posted on social media, emphasizing the need to prevent further escalation and avoid miscalculations.
He stated, “We must prevent further escalation in the Middle East and avoid miscalculation.’
He added, “It is in no one’s interest for others to be drawn into this conflict.”
We must prevent further escalation in the Middle East and avoid miscalculation.
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) August 1, 2024
I visited Lebanon with Defence Secretary @JohnHealey_MP for talks with PM @Najib_Mikati, Speaker Nabih Berri and FM Bou Habib.
It is in no one’s interest for others to be drawn into this conflict. pic.twitter.com/UaoWTiQGBn
Additionally, Lammy and Healey visited Qatar to push for de-escalation and an end to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed these sentiments, urging all parties in the Middle East to avoid actions that could exacerbate the conflict.