The attack by Iran against Israel was condemned by the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, in their joint statements at the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels.

Ursula von der Leyen spoke of a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape “before our eyes” and said that “the cycle of violence threatens the lives of innocent civilians and leads to a generalized conflict in the region that must be avoided at all costs.” As he pointed out, the European Union continues to call for a ceasefire beyond Lebanon’s borders in accordance with UN Resolution 1701 and on the border with Gaza as well as the release of all hostages.

For his part, the British Prime Minister noted that “we stand by Israel, we recognize its full right to security and self-defense” and called on all parties for de-escalation and in favor of a political solution to the many fronts of the crisis in the Middle East. Finally, he stressed that all hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally.