UK expresses deep concern over potential for further escalation in Middle East

LONDON

Britain’s foreign secretary warned Thursday of the potential for miscalculation which could lead to further violence in the Middle East amid threats by Iran to retaliate against Israel following this month’s deadly airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Syria.

"Today I made clear to Foreign Minister (Hossein) Amir-Abdollahian that Iran must not draw the Middle East into a wider conflict," David Cameron wrote on X.

He said he is "deeply concerned about the potential for miscalculation leading to further violence."

"Iran should instead work to de-escalate and prevent further attacks," he added.

Israel is on high alert amid fears of possible retaliation by Iran on Israeli targets amid public threats from Tehran that an April 1 airstrike on its consulate in Syria "would not go unpunished."

At least seven members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in the attack, including two top generals.

Iran has accused Israel of carrying out the attack and vowed to respond. Israel, however, has not officially claimed responsibility for the strike.

The escalation comes as Israel continues to wage a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack in early October by the Palestinian group Hamas, which killed around 1,200 people.

More than 33,500 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza and over 76,000 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.