In Tehran’s shattered Nobonyad Square, Afsaneh Rezaei, 42, sifts through rubble where her bakery once stood, her hands trembling as she salvages a child’s singed doll. Across the region in Haifa, Israeli mother Liat Cohen, 38, huddles with her kids in a bomb shelter, sirens blaring after Iran’s missile strikes. As Israel and Iran trade blows in a weeklong war, European leaders are sounding alarms, pleading for de-escalation to halt a conflict that’s killed hundreds and threatens to spiral across the Middle East. “This could ignite a fire no one can control,” said a UN official, echoing Europe’s fears.

On June 13, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, hitting Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility and killing top commanders, claiming Iran’s nuclear program posed an “existential threat.” Iran retaliated with over 100 missiles, damaging Israeli cities like Beersheba. The violence, rooted in decades of enmity, has claimed 639 lives in Iran, mostly civilians, per human rights groups, and injured dozens in Israel. European leaders, caught off guard, met Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva, urging diplomacy. “The negotiating table is the only path,” said EU’s Kaja Kallas, her voice heavy with urgency.

In Brussels, Ursula von der Leyen called the strikes “deeply alarming,” pressing both sides to stop. French President Emmanuel Macron, balancing support for Israel’s defense with calls for restraint, said, “Iran’s nuclear program must be resolved through talks, not bombs.” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, informed by Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu before the strikes, echoed this, warning Iran against nuclear escalation while urging calm. Yet Iran’s Araghchi, in Geneva, insisted, “We’ll talk when Israel’s aggression stops.” Trump’s dismissal of Europe’s efforts—“They can’t help,” he said—stung leaders already sidelined in U.S.-Iran talks.

For ordinary people, the stakes are personal. Rezaei, who lost her livelihood, whispered, “This isn’t our war.” In Israel, Cohen fears for her children’s future. “Every siren reminds us how close we are to disaster,” she said. The conflict, fueled by Iran’s uranium enrichment and Israel’s preemptive strikes, risks a nuclear catastrophe, warned IAEA chief Rafael Grossi. Europe’s push for talks, backed by Britain’s Keir Starmer and others, falters as Israel vows to continue and Iran promises “severe punishment.”

Europe faces a dilemma: support Israel’s security while condemning escalation. “Diplomacy is our only hope,” said Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. But with Trump eyeing U.S. strikes and Iran rejecting talks under fire, Europe’s voice feels faint. Can leaders pull the region back from the brink? Will civilians like Rezaei and Cohen find peace? For now, Europe pleads as missiles fly, hoping words can outlast war.

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