LONDON, April 9 – Britain’s Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned Israeli military strikes against Lebanon on Thursday, describing the attacks as “deeply damaging” and warning they could threaten the stability of a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran.
Speaking to Times Radio, Cooper emphasized the need to expand peace efforts to include Lebanon. “We want to see Lebanon included in the ceasefire,” Cooper stated. “We want it extended to cover Lebanon, because otherwise that will destabilise the whole region.”
Cooper specifically criticized Israeli actions from the previous day, saying “That escalation that we saw from Israel yesterday was deeply damaging, and we want to see an end to hostilities.”
The United Kingdom has come under intense scrutiny from President Donald Trump for what he sees as insufficient British support for America’s military campaign against Iran. Despite this pressure, Britain is collaborating with allied nations to help protect Gulf partners and explore options for reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
When questioned about tensions with the United States, Cooper indicated that Britain could maintain its strong relationship with Washington while pursuing its own regional strategy. However, she expressed concern about Trump’s aggressive language, particularly his threats against Iranian civilization.
“I think that the rhetoric that we’ve seen used has been completely wrong,” Cooper told Sky News. “That sort of escalatory rhetoric can have escalatory consequences.”
