Medicalian and Macron Discuss Israel and Hezbollah; Kirby: No One Wants a Full-Scale War

Iran states that Masoud Pezeshkian, the new president, warned his French counterpart that a potential Israeli attack on Lebanon would be a "big mistake" and would have "heavy consequences." Meanwhile, the Élysée Palace reports that Emmanuel Macron told Mr. Pezeshkian during their phone conversation on Monday, August 8, that Iran should play a role in preventing escalation between Israel and Lebanon by ending its support for "destabilizing agents." According to the French presidency, Mr. Macron also warned his Iranian counterpart about Tehran's continued support for Moscow in the war against Ukraine. The French president also stated that the release of three French citizens imprisoned in Iran is a necessary condition for improving relations between Iran and France and called for the Islamic Republic to cooperate with international organizations regarding its nuclear program. The Iranian presidential website announced that Masoud Pezeshkian expressed hope that relations between Iran and France and other European countries would be "enhanced" during the phone call on Monday. Israeli officials claim that a rocket attack on a village in the Golan Heights on Saturday, which killed 12 children and teenagers, was carried out by Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group, and promised a response. However, Hezbollah denies its responsibility for the attack on the Druze village of Majdal Shams. The French president also spoke with Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to prevent the escalation of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. According to the French presidential office, Mr. Macron emphasized Paris's full commitment to efforts to "prevent new tensions in the region by conveying messages to all parties involved." Earlier on Monday, a German government spokesman stated that the German government urges all parties in the Middle East conflict, especially Iran, to prevent escalation following the attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. On the other hand, the White House National Security Council spokesman told reporters that the U.S. has been in contact with Israeli officials at "various levels" and emphasized, "No one wants a broader war, and I am sure we will be able to prevent such an event." John Kirby stated on Monday that Israel has every right to respond to Hezbollah's actions following the attack in the Golan Heights. The White House had previously attributed the deadly rocket attack in the occupied Golan Heights to Hezbollah. Benjamin Netanyahu promised a "severe response" on Monday after visiting the site of the rocket attack attributed to Hezbollah in the Golan Heights. AFP and Associated Press reported that he faced "protests" from the Druze residents of the area who were relatives of the victims during his visit to Majdal Shams. Meanwhile, it has been reported that Israel's security cabinet has given the Netanyahu government the authority to determine the "how and timing" of the response to the rocket attack in the Golan Heights. In ongoing diplomatic efforts to prevent the escalation of hostilities, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also emphasized the "importance of preventing escalation" in a call with the Israeli president and called for efforts to find a diplomatic solution. Lebanese state media report that Israel targeted a motorcycle near the Lebanon-Israel border in the early hours of Monday, killing two people and injuring another. The Lebanese Foreign Minister has also stated that diplomatic efforts are underway to limit the scope of Israel's response to the rocket attack in the Golan. Abdullah Boujbeib, in an interview with the Lebanese TV channel Al-Jadeed, said, "Israel is escalating the conflict in a limited way, and Hezbollah will respond in a limited manner... These are the assurances we have received." On Monday, it was announced that flights to Beirut airport had been canceled or delayed due to escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Various airlines, including Middle East Airlines (MEA) of Lebanon, Turkish Airlines, SunExpress, Aegean Airlines, and Ethiopian Airlines, have canceled their flights to Beirut. Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon's only airport, has previously been targeted during the civil war and past conflicts with Israel.