US President Joe Biden has warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US will not take part in the counterattack on Iran that Netanyahu’s war cabinet is backing after a massive attack by more than 300 drones and missiles on Israeli territory on Saturday night, citing officials, on Sunday, the 14th of April, reports Reuters.
The threat of hostilities between Middle East foes has prompted calls for restraint from global powers and Arab states.
“The Middle East is on the brink.
The people of the region are in real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict. It is time to defuse and de-escalate the conflict,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a Security Council meeting convened on Sunday in response to the airstrikes.
US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood called on the Council to send a clear message condemning the Iranian attack.
“Let me be clear: if Iran or its proxies retaliate against the US, or continue to attack Israel, Iran will be held accountable,” he said.
However, Biden told Netanyahu that the US would not participate in an Israeli retaliation
against Iran over the attack, a White House official said, reaffirming Israel’s right to self-defence in Syria and other territories while maintaining a long-standing policy of supporting Israeli action.
The White House’s top national security official, John Kirby, also told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday that “our commitment is ironclad” to defend Israel and “help Israel defend itself” when asked whether the US would support Israeli retaliation against Iran.
“And as the President has said repeatedly, we are not trying to trigger a wider war in the region. We are not looking for war with Iran,” Kirby was quoted as saying.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin also spoke to counterparts in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan, stressing the need to avoid escalation, the importance of a coordinated diplomatic response and that the US will continue to support Israel’s defence.
The Iranian attack, following a suspected Israeli attack on its embassy in Syria, caused only minor damage on Israeli territory, as drones and missiles were intercepted due to the Israeli defence system and international support, with no major injuries or significant material damage reported. The only serious injury reported in Israel was that of a seven-year-old child hit by shrapnel.
The G7 leaders condemned the Iranian attack and said they would work to stabilise the situation, warning in a statement that Tehran risked “uncontrolled escalation in the region”.
In Gaza, the Iranian attack was applauded as retaliation for an Israeli offensive that according to the Hamas-led ministry killed at least 33 000 people.
Also read: Russia, Germany and UK call for restraint as Iranian threat alarms Middle East