UK welcomes Lebanese government’s call for cessation of violence

LONDON (Agencies): Britain welcomes the Lebanese government’s call for a cessation of all violence after an attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights blamed on Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Britain’s foreign minister said following a call with Lebanon’s prime minister.

“I spoke to (Lebanon’s) Prime Minister @Najib_Mikati today to express my concern at escalating tension and welcomed the Government of Lebanon’s statement urging for cessation of all violence,” David Lammy wrote on X on Monday.

“We both agreed that widening of conflict in the region is in nobody’s interest.”

A flurry of diplomatic activity is underway to contain an expected Israeli response against Hezbollah, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said.

On Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had vowed to “hit the enemy hard” after rocket fire from Lebanon killed 12 minors, raisings fears the war in Gaza could spread.

Israel has accused Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement of firing a Falaq-1 Iranian rocket, but the Iran-backed group — which has regularly targeted Israeli military positions — said it had “no connection” to the incident.

Bou Habib said the United States, France and others were trying to contain the escalation, in an interview late Sunday with local broadcaster Al-Jadeed.

“Israel will escalate in a limited way and Hezbollah will respond in a limited way… These are the assurances we’ve received,” Bou Habib said.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati had also said that “talks are ongoing with international, European and Arab sides to protect Lebanon and ward off dangers,” in a statement Sunday.

The rocket fire in Majdal Shams, whose population is Arabic-speaking Druze, prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to return early from the United States.

On Sunday, the White House said the deadly rocket fire was “conducted by Lebanese Hezbollah.”