Italy FM discusses de-escalation with Israel's Katz, Lebanon's Habib

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has discussed preventing a new war in the Middle East with his Israeli and Lebanese counterparts, Israel Katz and Bou Habib, he said today according to Reuters.

“Breaking the spiral of violence is possible”, he wrote on social media platform X.

He said the Italian government is committed to peace and stability, including through Italy’s presence in the United Nations’ UNIFIL contingent.

Ho parlato con Ministri 🇮🇱@Israel_katz e 🇱🇧 Bou Habib per evitare una nuova guerra. Interrompere spirale violenza è possibile.
Governo è impegnato per pace e stabilità, anche attraverso contingente 🇮🇹 @UNIFIL_ per il quale ho chiesto protezione. Rispetto ris.🇺🇳 1701 è cruciale. pic.twitter.com/IgObxMTp2E

— Antonio Tajani (@Antonio_Tajani) July 29, 2024

Tensions have risen between Lebanon and Israel after a rocket hit a football pitch in the Israeli occupied Golan Heights on Saturday killing 12 people, including children. Israel has blamed Lebanon’s Hezbollah for the strike, and vowed to “hit the enemy hard” . However Hezbollah has denied involvement, insisting it targets only military positions, claiming the incident resulted from an Israeli interceptor missile hitting the football field.

Read: Lebanon demands int’l probe as Hezbollah denies involvement in deadly Golan Heights strike