Attack on Golan Heights - USA and Great Britainwarning further escalation in Middle East
After the fatal attack by Hezbollah on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, there are growing fears of a wildfire in the Middle East. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken therefore called for restraint. In a phone call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, he reportedly stressed the importance of preventing an escalation, according to a spokesperson. Both politicians also discussed efforts towards a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages held by the radical Hamas there.
Britain is also watching the region anxiously. "We are deeply concerned about the risk of further escalation and destabilization. We have made it clear that Hezbollah must halt its attacks", wrote Foreign Secretary David Lammy on the platform X and condemned the attack.
Several Flights to Lebanon Cancelled
On the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, at least twelve young people were killed in the attack on Saturday afternoon. The Israeli government holds the Iran-aligned Shia militia Hezbollah responsible and is preparing a retaliatory strike.
British cabinet member Pat McFadden spoke of a very serious moment. Since October 7, all attention had been focused on the situation in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas, he told Sky News. The situation in northern Israel between Hezbollah and Israel has the potential to be "much more serious than what we have observed in the last months in Gaza", McFadden added.
At Beirut Airport, tensions between Israel and the Hezbollah militia have led to flight cancellations and delays. Several international airlines, including Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, and Aegean Airlines, have cancelled flights to Beirut for Monday, according to Flightradar24 data. Lufthansa announced on Monday that the flights would be suspended until August 5 due to "current developments" in the Middle East.
According to the Lebanese Civil Defense, two people were killed and three others, including a child, were injured in a Israeli drone strike in the southern Lebanon area near the town of Shaqra in the night to Monday. This is the first Israeli attack with fatalities on targets in Lebanon since the attack by the Lebanese Hezbollah militia on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday.
The British government strongly condemns Hezbollah's attacks in the Golan Heights and urges them to cease their actions. In response to the situation, several flights to Beirut have been cancelled, affecting travel plans for many.
