Israel's pounding of Lebanon was "deeply damaging," and the conflict must end to prevent the US-Iran ceasefire from being destabilized, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told Times Radio on Thursday.
Israel says that these strikes targeted over 100 Hezbollah command centers and military sites across Beirut.
"We want to see Lebanon included in the ceasefire... We want it extended to cover Lebanon, because otherwise that will destabilize the whole region," she added.
"That escalation that we saw from Israel yesterday was deeply damaging, and we want to see an end to hostilities," she continued.
Additionally, toll-free shipping transit through the Strait of Hormuz must be ensured, Cooper said.
Fundamental freedoms of the sea must not be unilaterally withdrawn or sold off, and support should be given for the International Maritime Organization's proposals for ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, she added.
Cooper also denounced US President Donald Trump's Tuesday threats that a "whole civilization will die" if an agreement is not reached to end the conflict.
"I think that the rhetoric that we've seen used has been completely wrong," she told Sky News. "That sort of escalatory rhetoric can have escalatory consequences."
"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will," Trump said in a post on Truth Social at the time. "However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?"
"We will find out tonight," Trump added, "one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World."
French FM Barrot condemns Israel's strikes on Hezbollah, says Iran must give up nuclear weapons plans, end support for terror proxies
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot also condemned Israel's "massive strikes" on Lebanon, stating that the country must be included in a ceasefire agreement.
"Iran must give up having nuclear weapons and the means to obtain them, must give up using its missiles and drones to threaten countries in the region, and must give up supporting groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and Houthis who destabilize the region," he said in an interview with Radio Station France Inter.
The Islamic regime must also open all traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, noting that this traffic will not flow freely until an agreement is reached between the "belligerents."
"I do not think we can speak of a winner in the current war," he stated.
Barrot added that he expects Iran to make a series of concessions as part of the peace talks due to start in Pakistan.
Spain condemns Israeli attacks on Lebanon, reopens Tehran embassy
Additionally, Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares accused Israel of violating international law by carrying out airstrikes on Lebanon on Wednesday.
Spain has emerged as one of the most vocal critics among Western nations of US and Israel's operations Roaring Lion and Epic Fury in Iran and Lebanon, closing its airspace to any aircraft involved in a conflict Madrid has called reckless and illegal.
"Yesterday we saw how Israel, flouting the ceasefire and in violation of international law, dropped hundreds of bombs on Lebanon," Albares told lawmakers in the lower house.
Earlier on Thursday, Albares announced that Spain would reopen its embassy in Tehran in hopes of achieving peace in the region.
"I've instructed our ambassador in Tehran to return, to take up his post again and reopen our embassy, and for us to join in this effort for peace from every possible quarter, including from the Iranian capital itself," Albares told reporters.
Italy PM Meloni says reopening of strait of Hormuz is vital
Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is a vital interest for her country and the whole of the European Union.
"We have come within a step of the point of no return, but we now face a fragile prospect of peace that must be pursued with determination,” Meloni told parliament, adding that Italy condemns any violation of the ceasefire and is calling for a permanent halt to hostilities.
European Union authorities should consider temporarily suspending budget deficit rules if the conflict were to flare up again, Meloni added.
Meloni also said her government was ready to take every possible measure to prevent potential speculative behavior on energy prices, including introducing windfall taxes for energy companies.
This is a developing story.
Tobias Segal, James Genn, Aaron Glick, and Corinne Baum contributed to this report.
