UK Foreign and Defense Secretaries Visit Beirut to Urge Deescalation

Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Defense Secretary John Healey arrived in Beirut on Thursday after visiting Qatar.

They first met with Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib before proceeding to the Grand Serail for discussions with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Britain stated that Lammy and Healey traveled to the region to advocate for an end to the Gaza conflict and to promote de-escalation across the broader region.

“Escalation and destabilization benefit no one. It’s crucial that we work closely with partners like Qatar, who play a significant role in mediating the Gaza conflict, to bring this devastating war to an end,” Lammy said in a statement while in Doha.

Healey emphasized, “Our primary focus must be de-escalation as the region stands at a crossroads. The recent loss of innocent lives is intolerable and must stop.”

He added, “All parties must withdraw from conflict and advance diplomacy,” noting their collaboration with partners like Qatar to renew efforts for peace.

Tensions have risen between Hezbollah and Israel following a rare airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, which killed Hezbollah’s senior military commander Fouad Shukur, an Iranian military adviser, and five Lebanese civilians. The strike also injured dozens.

Hours later, the Palestinian group Hamas announced that its leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Tehran, Iran, prompting Iranian leaders to vow revenge.