Tensions have surged even higher with Iran’s first direct assault on Israel
Israel has vowed a response to Iran’s unprecedented attack against the country – prompting appeals for de-escalation by world leaders fearing wider conflict in the Middle East.
Here are the top 10 updates on this big story
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Israel is facing pressure from allies to show restraint and avoid an escalation of regional conflict as it considered how to respond to Iran’s barrage.
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The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said they were concerned about Israel possibly targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. “We are always concerned about this possibility,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.
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Tensions have surged even higher with Iran’s first direct assault on Israel, in retaliation for a deadly strike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus earlier this month.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with his war cabinet late last evening to discuss possible reactions as the country’s military chief of staff said the country would respond to the Iranian attack.
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Following the Iranian attack, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting Sunday, where Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the region was “on the brink” of war and called for a defusing of tensions.
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The US officials, who helped thwart the strike, have urged caution on Israel after Iran’s attack. US President Joe Biden has also told Netanyahu that Washington would not offer military support for any retaliation against Iran, a White House officials told local media.
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India said that the escalating tensions in the region must be resolved through “dialogue & diplomacy”. “We call for immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, stepping back from violence and return to the path of diplomacy,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
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Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel late Saturday, nearly all of which, the Israeli army said, were intercepted.
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Tehran said it considered the matter “concluded” unless Israel chose to commit “another mistake”. “However, should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably more severe,” Iran’s mission to the United Nations said.
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The Israel-Iran tensions have heightened concerns that violence rooted in the Gaza war is spreading further in the region. Since the start of the war in Gaza on October 7, clashes have erupted between Israel and Iran-aligned groups in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.
