Netanyahu meets British, German FMs, stresses Israel’s right to self-defense | NHK

The foreign ministers of Germany and Britain have called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to exercise restraint to prevent further confrontations in the Middle East.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and her British counterpart, David Cameron, met Netanyahu in Israel on Wednesday.

The meeting came as members of Israel’s cabinet are holding daily talks following a purported Israeli strike on Iran’s embassy in Syria and Iran’s retaliatory attack.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Baerbock sharply criticized Iran. She said: “The region must not be allowed to slide step by step into a situation in which the outcome is completely unpredictable. Everyone must now act prudently and responsibly.”

She called on both Iran and Israel to exercise restraint.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu addressed the cabinet after his meeting with the British and German foreign ministers.

He said the diplomats “have all kinds of suggestions and advice, which I appreciate; however, I would also like to clarify — we will make our decisions ourselves. The state of Israel will do whatever is necessary to defend itself.”

Israeli forces have been intensifying attacks on the Shia Muslim group Hezbollah, based in southern Lebanon.

Against this backdrop, Israel’s Defense Ministry on Tuesday announced that its aircraft “struck and eliminated” a Hezbollah commander in the region.

The group responded by carrying out a retaliatory attack in northern Israel, which the ministry says left 14 injured.

Concerns are rising that the conflict may further intensify, even as a truce in Gaza appears elusive.