The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has expressed alarm over the risk of a “war of unknown proportions” as tensions grow in West Asia due to Israel’s acts of terror and aggression.
Borrell made the remarks in an X post on Tuesday, as Israel’s failure in its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip has prompted the regime to assassinate resistance leaders and wage attacks on the countries supporting Palestinian people.
“Tensions keep escalating in the Middle East, bringing it on the brink of a war of unknown proportions,” he said.
The top EU diplomat also renewed his call for a ceasefire in Gaza, where the Israeli onslaught has killed at least 39,623 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 91,469 others since October, 7, 2023.
“We all must prevent another catastrophe. The way forward is largely consensual: ceasefire in Gaza, now. All those standing in the way of de-escalation shall be held accountable,” Borrell added.
Borrell’s comments are made as Iran has vowed to give a "crushing response" to Israel after the regime’s assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, political leader of the Palestinian Hamas resistance group, in the Iranian capital Tehran on July 31.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the assassination was designed and executed by Israel, with support from the US administration.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has warned the occupying regime of a “harsh punishment,” saying Iran sees it as its duty to avenge the blood of Haniyeh.
The recent assassination in Tehran followed an assassination by the Israeli regime that claimed the life of Fuad Shukr, a senior commander of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, in Beirut.
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has said Israel had “crossed red lines“ in the assassinations of Shukr and Haniyeh and must expect “rage and revenge on all the fronts supporting Gaza.”