UK authorities urges de-escalation as Israel launches assault on Iran | EUROtoday

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Britain has urged de-escalation after Israel launched a retaliatory assault on Iran, with explosions heard close to a serious navy airbase.

As international secretary David Cameron met together with his G7 counterparts in Italy to debate easing tensions within the Middle East, Tehran have been pressured to activate their air defence system above town of Isfahan, which can be house to websites related to Iran’s nuclear programme.

However, it remained unclear if the nation was below assault, with no Iranian official immediately acknowledging the likelihood, and the International Atomic Energy Agency reporting no injury to Iran’s nuclear websites.

Asked in regards to the rising experiences on Sky News, a authorities minister stated the UK accepts Israel’s “absolute right to defend itself” – however insisted Britain was “very firmly engaged in counselling de-escalation and moderation at this particular moment”.

“We do think that de-escalation is absolutely key now. Our message to all in the region, including Israel, is that de-escalation is really important” stated Mr Stride. “The foreign secretary currently is in Italy speaking with his G7 counterparts and they will be focused on exactly that.”

The focus should now be on getting help into Gaza – on which Britain has made “progress” – and on ceasefires and the discharge of hostages, stated Mr Stride, including: “So there’s a lot of work to do.”

While the extent of Israel’s navy motion stays unclear, it comes regardless of Britain and Washington urging restraint to prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu following Iran’s unprecedented direct assault.

Hundreds of drones and missiles have been launched at Israel on Saturday night time in retaliation for an assault on its embassy compound in Damascus, which killed a number of senior Iranian navy commanders. Israel insisted it shot down “99 per cent” of the missiles, with the assistance of Britain, France, the US and regional allies.

Asked about Friday’s assault, the UK’s former Lebanese ambassador Tom Fletcher informed the BBC: “Clearly the picture is still quite hazy, everyone will have an interest in it remaining hazy for some time while they work out how they want to describe what happened overnight, because in a way the reaction to it is as important as the event itself.

“Across the region people I’m hearing from are braced, many are waking up with real fear. Isfahan is a serious nuclear site, and this is a sign that Israel does intend to continue this game of high-stakes poker with Iran.”

“We don’t know how much of an escalation this is for now,” he added. “Clearly Iran is starting to signal that it’s not necessarily a major escalation, they’re playing it down. And of course Israel could have chosen to do something more dramatic. “

Diplomats across the region “will all be looking to find ways to play it down now” and “messages into Tel Aviv and Tehran will all be clear and consistent that: ‘this is enough’”, stated Mr Fletcher, a former international affairs adviser to prime ministers Gordon Brown and David Cameron.