Dutch PM urges "restraint" from Israel, Iran after attack on Tehran; KLM cancels flight

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said the escalation of violence in the Middle East was "alarming" in comments on social media published several hours after Israel launched strikes in Tehran. Israel said it attacked military and nuclear weapon targets in the country's capital, with Iran pledging to retaliate claiming the attack to be a declaration of war. The escalation of violence was a concern for the prime minister, the caretaker Cabinet, and parliamentarians, while Dutch airline KLM began adjusting its operations as a precaution.

At least two Iranian military leader and six nuclear scientists were killed in the attack in Tehran, with Iranian officials saying at least 50 people were injured including civilians and children. Among the dead were General Mohammed Bagheri, the Iranian Army's chief of staff, according to Iran state media reports. The attack may have also killed Revolutionary Guard leader Hussein Salami.

Aside from an expected response from Iran, both the Houthi rebels in Yemen and Hamas have guaranteed Israel will face repercussions. Hamas, which has been at war with Israel in two years after launching a massacre in southwestern Israel, blamed the country for "threatening to destabilize the region" with the assault on Tehran.

"The Netherlands urges all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from further attacks and reprisals. Immediate de-escalation is essential in the interest of stability in the region," Caretaker Prime Minister Schoof wrote on X. However, he did not mention Israel or Iran directly in his comment.

Schoof's predecessor, current NATO leader Mark Rutte, asked the United States and other allies to put some pressure on leaders in the Middle East to reduce tensions. "That takes precedence now," he said, calling it "crucial" while visiting Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

Dutch Caretaker Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said he spoke with his counterparts in Iran and Israel to push for calm, though he would not specify what exactly was said. "The most sustainable way to remove the Iranian nuclear threat is through negotiations," the NSC politician stated. He said the Cabinet wants the continuation of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran which were mediated by Oman.

"We regret that Israel has now taken this step," said Caretaker Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans on his way in to the regular weekly Cabinet meeting. "We believe it is important that it does not escalate further," the VVD politician told reporters in The Hague.

"It naturally worries us greatly, because there is now a major escalation in the Middle East. We are of course also concerned about Iran's nuclear developments. But the intention and the commitment is to resolve this through diplomatic means," said Brekelmans.

Israel said the strikes hit multiple locations in Iran, including those at or near five nuclear facilities. Israel claimed the Iranian nuclear program poses a "critical threat" to the country. Brekelmans said that concerns about an Iranian nuclear weapon "in the long term" are justifiable, but that Tehran was nowhere near that point. "Our assessment is not that they could convert that into a nuclear weapon in the very short term."

According to the minister, diplomatic consultations should now be pursued, but he also sees that it is difficult to get them started quickly in this situation. "At this moment, it is especially important to send a strong signal that we are calling for restraint and for everyone to act responsibly, so that it does not escalate further."

The largest party in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Parliament, continued its support for Israel. The far-right PVV was in the Cabinet and governing coalition until last week when party leader Geert Wilders pulled out. Iran and its nuclear capabilities "form an existential threat to Israel and the entire free world," Wilders said.

GroenLinks-PvdA leader Frans Timmermans said the developments in the Middle East were "very worrying." The left-wing opposition leader added that "further escalation is a threat to global security. That is in no one's interest."

His centrist colleague, Rob Jetten of D66, said the "large-scale attacks by both Israel and Iran have nothing but losers. Let the international community now take action as quickly as possible to de-escalate."

VVD parliamentary leader Dilan Yeşilgöz issued similar remarks. Her party is not only in the Cabinet, but she took over Rutte's party leadership role after he took the job with NATO. "We are on the brink of a new regional war - and that will also affect Europe," she stated.

Sarah Dobbe of the SP socialist faction in the Tweede Kamer said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has started "another illegal war" with the attack on Iran. "Israel does not care about international law," she stated, which drew the support of her colleague, Stephan van Baarle, who leads political party Denk.

"The Israeli attack on Iran is illegal and violates international law. While diplomacy is needed, Netanyahu is escalating with war," he said.

Meanwhile, Dutch airline KLM cancelled its only flight from Schiphol Airport to Tel Aviv on Friday. Israeli airspace was closed, as was airspace over Iran, Iraq and Jordan. The Dutch airline said it did not affect their flight routes to other destinations.

In the rest of the Middle East, the developments are leading to adjustments in air traffic. For example, disruptions were expected at the Abu Dhabi airport, and the airline Emirates said it will have to cancel flights to and from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Iran.

KLM could not say when it would resume flights to Israel. An El Al flight from Schiphol to Tel Aviv was also cancelled on Friday morning. The Israeli airline has also suspended all its flights for the time being following the recent developments, the airline wrote on its website. A flight from the Israeli airline Arkia is also scheduled from Schiphol on Friday afternoon.