Risk of "the last straw", Israel and Iran "respond", US still confident of avoiding conflict

Israel is preparing to launch an operation in response to a July 27 attack on a football stadium in the occupied Golan Heights that killed 12 children, which Israel blames on the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.

The July 28 attack on a football stadium in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that killed 12 teenagers threatens to be the 'last straw' in Israel-Hezbollah tensions. (Source: Getty Images)

The Times of Israel reported on July 29 that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had a phone call with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin to discuss the attack.

Mr. Gallant announced the results of the initial investigation of the Israeli Army (IDF), which determined that the attack was caused by a rocket containing 50 kg of explosives and there were many signs that the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon launched this rocket, despite the movement denying all allegations related to the incident.

The incident shows that Hezbollah, which Iran calls the “axis of resistance” in the Middle East, has “escalated significantly and will be held accountable,” the Israeli defense minister said. Israel is determined to restore security on its northern border and will “make Hezbollah pay a heavy price.”

During the phone call, the two ministers also discussed the prospects of reaching a ceasefire and hostage exchange between Israel and the Hamas movement in the war in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Reuters news agency quoted Iranian President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron as affirming that any Israeli attack on Lebanon would face "serious consequences".

For his part, the French leader said that he had previously spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and pledged to "do everything to avoid the risk of escalating new conflicts in the region, through exchanging messages with all relevant parties."

On the US side, despite clear signs of the possibility of conflict spreading in the Middle East after the attack on the Golan Heights, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby expressed confidence that this risk could be avoided.

AFP news agency quoted Mr. Kirby as saying that US and Israeli officials held talks at "multiple levels" over the weekend after the attack.

“Nobody wants a wider war and I am confident we will be able to avoid that outcome,” he said. “We have all heard about this ‘total war’ at various times over the last 10 months. At the time, those predictions were exaggerated. Frankly, we think they are exaggerated now.”

In addition, White House officials said the increased tension would not affect the ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip, where Israel is fighting the Iran-backed Hamas Islamist movement.

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