Iran ‘will bear responsibility’ for attacking Israel

Iran "will bear responsibility" for any attacks against Israel which "would further escalate regional tensions" and jeopardize the chance of a cease-fire and hostage-release deal, the leaders of the U.K., France and Germany warned in a statement today.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called "on Iran and its allies to refrain from attacks," and said they agree with mediators the U.S., Egypt and Qatar that there “can be no further delay” in resuming negotiations between Israel and Hamas on a cease-fire and hostage release.

Hamas on Sunday cast doubt about whether it would participate in a meeting this Thursday called by the mediators for negotiations on a cease-fire and hostage-release deal, as Gaza’s reported death toll nears 40,000. Israel said last week it would send a team of negotiators to the meeting.

The joint statement from the U.K., France and Germany came after Axios reported late Sunday that Israeli intelligence believes an Iranian attack is likely within days.

Iran has warned it will avenge the assassination in Tehran of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Israel is widely believed to have been behind the killing, retaliating for the Oct.

7 attack in which Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in Israel and took around 250 hostages.