Iran responds to reports it may hold off on Israel attack
Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic asked the Iranian mission to the UN about reports Iran may hold off on a retaliatory attack over Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination if Israel agrees to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Here’s their full response:
“We have pursued two priorities simultaneously: first, establishing a durable ceasefire in Gaza and the withdrawal of the occupiers from this territory; second, punishing the aggressor for the assassination of the martyr, Haniyeh, preventing the recurrence of the Israeli regime’s terrorist aggressions, and making the Zionists regret embarking on such a trajectory.”
Ryanair cancels all flights to Israel until August 23: Report
That’s according to local newspaper Israel Hayom. The Irish low-cost airline had already notified Israeli passengers about the flight cancellations but there was no information about the duration of the measure.
Macron urges Netanyahu to ‘avoid cycle of reprisals’
French President Emmanuel Macron has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “avoid a cycle of reprisals” in the Middle East, according to his office.
The French leader said every effort must be made to prevent a “regional conflagration” as tensions soar on the Israel-Lebanon border and stressed that a war between the two countries “would have destructive consequences for the entire region”.
Macron also reminded Netanyahu that “the absolute priority” for France remained “the immediate achievement of a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages … and the massive and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to the people there”.
