Iran Told To ‘Stand Down’ On Threats

The US and European allies called on Iran to “stand down” as fears mounted of an imminent ­attack on Israel that could spark an all-out war in the Middle East.

Tensions are soaring in the ­region, with the US rushing a missile submarine and an aircraft carrier group in a show of support for its key ally.

International efforts to stave off an Iranian attack have intensified, with US President Joe Biden and the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Britain warning Tehran in a joint statement overnight on Monday.

“We called on Iran to stand down its ongoing threats of a military attack against Israel and discussed the serious consequences for regional security should such an attack take place,” they said.

The White House warned that a “significant set of attacks” by Iran and its proxies was possible this week, saying that Israel shared the same assessment.

Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah have vowed revenge for the killing of the political leader of the Palestinian group Hamas in Tehran, and of a Hezbollah commander in Beirut.

As the frantic diplomacy continued, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to de-escalate the situation.

But Mr Pezeshkian said his country had the “right to respond to aggressors”.

Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh had been in Tehran for the new Iranian President’s inauguration last month when Haniyeh was killed in an attack that Iran has blamed on Israel. ­Israel assassinated Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut a day earlier, leaving the region on edge.

Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said his country was “ready to foil any threat in real time”.

Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the country had strengthened defences and organised “offensive options” as “threats from Tehran and Beirut may materialise”.

In a call with the Iraqi Prime Minister, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday “reiterated the importance of Iraq’s responsibility to protect coalition military advisers from attacks by Iran-aligned militias” following a recent attack, according to a statement.

Washington and the four ­European nations have also intensified their calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, regarding the conflict sparked by Hamas’s October 7 ­attack on Israel as the root cause of the tensions in the Middle East.

They backed a call by Mr Biden and the leaders of Egypt and Qatar for renewed talks ­between Israel and Hamas on Thursday “and stressed there is no further time to lose”.

They also called for “unfettered” delivery of aid to devastated Gaza.

The pressure to bring an end to the fighting in the Gaza Strip and for Hamas to release its hostages came as the militant group’s armed wing said it had killed one Israeli captive and wounded two more in “incidents”. It is the first time the group has admitted killing any hostages; it has attributed previous deaths to Israeli bombardments of the ­enclave.

Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, said: “In two separate incidents, two recruits assigned to guard enemy prisoners fired at a Zionist prisoner, killing him immediately, and also injured two female prisoners critically.”

The statement, posted on Telegram, did not identify the hostages or say when or where the incidents occurred, but noted “attempts are being made to save the lives” of the two women.

The Israeli military said it did “not have any intelligence information that allows us to refute or confirm Hamas’ claims”.

“We will continue to examine and verify the credibility of the message,” it said.

Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, in a televised briefing earlier on Monday, said: “We do not forget for a moment the hostages being ­cruelly held by Hamas in Gaza.

“We are deeply concerned about their physical and mental condition, given the prolonged time that has passed and the harsh conditions of their captivity.”

Pressure for a ceasefire in Gaza grew after civil defence rescuers in the Hamas-run territory said an Israeli airstrike on Saturday killed 93 people at a school housing displaced Palestinians.

Israel said it targeted militants operating out of the school and mosque. On Monday, witnesses said Israel struck Khan Younis and Rafah from the air.