De-escalation efforts persist ahead of expected Iran-Hezbollah response

Diplomatic pressure has mounted to avert an escalation between Iran and Israel following high-profile killings that have sent regional tensions soaring.

United States President Joe Biden, whose country has sent extra warships and fighter jets to the region in support of Israel, held crisis talks on Monday with his national security team.

The head of the U.S. military command covering the Middle East, General Michael Kurilla, arrived in Israel and met Israel's military chief Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi for a security assessment, an Israeli military statement said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday urged all sides in the Middle East to avoid "escalation," his spokesman said.

U.S. news site Axios earlier reported that Blinken told his counterparts from the G7 nations that any attack by Iran and Hezbollah could happen as early as Monday.

- 'Playing with fire' -

A European diplomat in Tel Aviv said "a coordinated response" from Iran and its proxies was expected but de-escalation efforts persisted.

"We're telling them they have to stop playing with fire, because the risk of flare-ups is higher than at any time since October 7," he said, declining to be named as he was not authorized to speak on the issue.

The Jeddah-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation is to meet on Wednesday at the request of "Palestine and Iran," to discuss developments in the region, an OIC official said.

Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said his country is "preparing for any scenario both offensively and defensively".

In the northern port city of Haifa, shop owner Yehuda Levi, 45, told AFP that Israelis are used to conflict, but facing a multi-pronged attack "is a little tricky".

"It's difficult, but we believe we're a strong country. We're going to win this war."

Turkey on Monday joined multiple nations calling on their citizens to leave Lebanon, where Hezbollah is based.

Numerous airlines have suspended flights to the country or limited them to daylight hours.

Germany's Lufthansa, which has already suspended flights to the region including Tel Aviv, said its planes would avoid Iraqi and Iranian airspace until at least Wednesday.

Royal Jordanian Airlines said it would be operating three flights this week to transport nationals out of Beirut.

- 'Act urgently' -

The United Nations' rights chief Volker Turk called on "all parties, along with those states with influence, to act urgently to de-escalate what has become a very precarious situation".

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein in a joint statement Monday "agreed to make every effort to avoid a regional escalation". Italy currently holds the rotating presidency of the G7 group of countries.

French President Emmanuel Macron also appealed for "restraint" in the Middle East, during conversations with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

In Tel Aviv on Monday thousands of Israelis gathered to mark the fifth birthday of child hostage Ariel Bibas, and to call for the liberation of him and his family.

Netanyahu repeatedly promises to bring the hostages home but is facing a growing chorus of sceptics who worry he's not interested in a ceasefire and hostage-release deal with Hamas, which U.S., Egyptian and Qatari mediators have for months been trying to reach.

"The hostages have no time and it seems like some people in Israel, including the prime minister, are taking their time," said Gil Dickman, whose cousin Carmel Gat is among the captives.

As the region braced for further escalation, Hezbollah and Israel kept up their near-daily exchanges of fire.

The Lebanese health ministry said three people were killed Monday in Israeli strikes on the country's south. Israel's military said it had struck militants operating a drone in the Mays al-Jabal area.

Hezbollah later said two fighters had been killed, one from Mays al-Jabal.

Tehran has said it expects Hezbollah to hit deeper inside Israel and no longer be confined to military targets.

Far from the Lebanese border, the Israeli military said around 15 rockets had crossed from the southern Gaza Strip into Israel on Monday, with medics reporting one injury.