France and the United Kingdom must help Israel hit Iranian targets should the Islamic Republic make good on its threat to attack the Jewish state directly, Foreign Minister Israel Katz told his French and British counterparts on Friday.
"If Iran attacks, Israel expects the international coalition led by the US, Britain, and France to join Israel not only in defense but also in attacking significant targets in Iran,” Katz said.
He spoke after meeting with the foreign ministers of Great Britain, David Lammy, and France Stéphane Séjourné, in his office in Jerusalem.
The two politicians made a lightning visit to Israel on Friday as the IDF remained braced, as it has for over two weeks, for reprisal attacks from Iran and its proxy group Hezbollah.
"Britain fought against fascism and Nazism together with French resistance forces, and next year we will mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz," Lammy said during the meeting. "As in the past, even today, we will stand by your side. I promise you: if Iran attacks Israel, Britain will stand by it as it did on April 14."
The aid Israel received during Iran's last attack
The United States led a coalition of five armies, including Israel, Jordan, the United Kingdom, and France, to help defend Israel in April after Iran shot 300 missiles and armed drones at the Jewish state.
Lammy also said during the meeting that the UK had "urged Iran to take a step back," adding that "now we have a time-out that should be used in favor of a deal for the release of the hostages."
“Israel has no choice but to respond forcibly to any attack,” Katz stated.
He warned Tehran that it would pay a heavy price both strategically and economically for any attack against Israel.
A united international front is the only way to deter an Iranian attack, he said.
“Iran is the head of the axis of evil, and the free world must stop it now before it is too late,” Katz stressed.
The three men met as an Israeli team participated in negotiations in Doha for a hostage deal for the release of the remaining 115 captives that would also include a six-week lull to the Gaza war that began on October 7.
"France was a friend of Israel and will remain a friend of Israel. We know that you did not start the war in Gaza. Hamas started the war," Séjourné said during the meeting. "We just visited Lebanon and can tell that the Lebanese do not want war, and war is not in Hezbollah's interest. However, in history, there have been cases of wars that broke out even though the parties did not want them."
The French foreign minister added that Israel not be the party to blame if the hostage talks were to unravel.
"It is important that Israel is not responsible for the failure of the negotiations," Séjourné said. "France supports and wants to continue supporting Israel."
The US hopes that the deal will lead to a permanent ceasefire and expects that it will also prevent any reprisal attacks by Iran and Hezbollah that could spark a regional war.
The Israeli delegation headed by Mossad Chief David Barnea arrived in Doha on Thursday and is slated to remain at least through Friday. US CIA Chief William Burn is leading the talks, with the help of US special envoy Brett McGurk, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Al Thani, and Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel.
Israel has been concerned that Iran’s threat of a direct attack has allowed Hamas to harden its positions with respect to a deal, thereby making it more difficult to achieve one. The international community and domestic Israeli voices have focused on issues that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has raised.
Katz told the foreign ministers that “Israel is interested in a deal that would bring the hostages home and will do everything in the negotiations to promote such a deal.
“Hamas may harden its positions and wait for the Iranian attack on Israel as an alternative to negotiations,” he stated.