EU Warns of ‘Dangerous Regional War’ in MENA

The EU has warned that Iran's ballistic  missile attack on Israel could spiral into a far wider conflict as the two countries face off in an escalating exchange that threatens to engulf the entire Middle East.

In a statement released on Tuesday night, the European Commission's foreign affairs spokesperson, Peter Stano, said the bloc “condemns in the strongest terms Iran’s attacks with ballistic missiles against Israel, which constitute a serious threat to regional security.”

Also, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned Iran's attack and stressed the need to avoid further escalation in separate calls with United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Iran revolutionary Gurd fired hundreds of missiles at Tel Aviv and other cities in Israel on Tuesday evening, with Israeli armed forces cautioning civilians to take shelter in bunkers in towns and cities across the country. 

The massive attack came hours after the Israeli army launched what it called “localized and targeted ground raids” in neighboring Lebanon, forcing as many as 100,000 residents to flee their homes, according to UNHCR.

Meanwhile, Stano hinted that both sides were to blame for the escalations, saying: “Successive waves of attacks and retaliations have been fueling an uncontrollable spiral of conflict.”

“The EU remains fully committed to contribute to lower the tensions and to avert a dangerous regional war.”