Sunday, April 14, 2024

1831 GMT — The United States has said it will not join any Israeli attack on Iran, with US President Joe Biden warning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “think carefully” about any escalation.

The White House said Biden did not want a wider war after helping key ally Israel repel an aerial attack by Tehran — itself in retaliation for a presumed Israeli strike that killed an Iranian general in Damascus.

“We’re not looking for a wider war with Iran,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” adding that the United States does not “want to see this escalate.”

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Israel late on Saturday in response to the April 1 attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

Iran is said to have fired more than 300 drones and missiles in an attack that lasted several hours, many of which were intercepted by Israeli air defence systems.

Allies including the US, UK and France also helped ward off the attack.

Latest updates 👇

1844 GMT — US intel chief requested Turkish mediation to defuse Israel-Iran tension: source

Türkiye’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin and CIA Director William Burns recently spoke on the phone, and discussed the escalation between Iran and Israel as well as the situation in Gaza, security sources said.

Burns called Kalin during the Muslim festival of Eid al Fitr, requesting Türkiye’s mediation on Iran’s possible attack on Israel, which was executed Saturday night.

Kalin also exchanged views on ongoing indirect negotiations for a cease-fire in Gaza, where Israeli attacks since last October have killed nearly 34,000 Palestinians.

1840 GMT — Egypt’s FM calls foreign ministers of Iran, Israel

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has expressed the need for restraint in phone calls with the foreign ministers of Iran and Israel, Egypt said

1834 GMT — France carried out interception missions during Iran attack: minister

France carried out interception missions during Iran’s attack on Israel, Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne has said.

“We took our responsibilities…we carried out interception missions,” he told France 2 television channel, without elaborating.

Israel’s chief military spokesperson said earlier on Sunday that France was among the countries involved in defending against the Iranian attack.

1823 GMT — Israeli war cabinet concludes meeting

The Israeli war cabinet has concluded a meeting to discuss ways to respond to Iran’s attack.

“The meeting of the war cabinet to discuss the response to the Iranian attack has ended,” Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

It did not immediately mention any other details regarding the decisions taken at the meeting.

1819 GMT — Britain summons Iran’s ‍chargé d’affaires over Israel attack

Britain has summoned the chargé d’affaires at the Iranian embassy in London on Sunday over Iran’s attack on Israel, the UK foreign ministry said in a statement.

“The UK condemns in the strongest terms Iran’s direct and unprecedented attack against Israel, as well as their violation of Jordan and Iraq’s airspace. At a time of great tension in the Middle East, this was a profoundly dangerous and unnecessary escalation by Iran,” the ministry said.

1744 GMT — US and Iran had contact through Swiss intermediaries ahead of attack: US official

The United States had contact with Iran through Swiss intermediaries both before and after Tehran’s retaliatory attack on Israeli territory, a senior Biden administration official said.

The official declined to provide details on the contact, saying only that the US and Iran had “a series of direct communications through the Swiss channel.”

Asked about comments by Iran’s foreign minister that Tehran had given regional countries 72 hours notice of the attacks, the official said that was not true.

1634 GMT — Iran risks ‘uncontrollable regional escalation’, warns G7

Leaders of the G7 nations have condemned Iran’s attack on Israel and said that they would work to try to stabilise the situation in the Middle East.

“With its actions, Iran has further stepped toward the destabilisation of the region and risks provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation. This must be avoided,” a statement issued by G7 president Italy said after a video conference involving the group’s leaders.

1617 GMT — Lebanese Hezbollah praises Iranian attack on Israel as a ‘brave’ decision

Lebanese group Hezbollah has praised Iran’s attack on Israel, describing it as a “brave” decision.

The Iran-aligned group added in a statement that Tehran had exercised its legal rights despite “threats, intimidation and pressure”.

1610 GMT — Israeli ministers urge response to Iranian attack

Israeli ministers have called for a response after Iran fired drones and missiles on Israel, in retaliation for an April attack on its embassy in Damascus that killed several military commanders.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said his country would face an “immediate existential threat” if it hesitated to respond to Iran’s attack.

“After an important night, our subsequent behaviour will shape the Middle East and Israel’s security,” the far-right minister said in a recorded statement broadcast on his X account.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is an extremist politician, also called for a strong response to Iranian strikes.

“To create deterrence in the Middle East, we must respond with madness,” Ben-Gvir, who is the leader of the far-right Jewish Power party, said in a recorded statement broadcast on X.

1437 GMT — Israel has chance to form strategic alliance against Iran: Gallant

Israel has an opportunity to form a strategic alliance against Iran after its mass drone and missile attack was jointly repelled, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has said.

The attack was repelled together with the United States and other countries, Gallant said in a statement.

“We have an opportunity to establish a strategic alliance against this grave threat by Iran which is threatening to mount nuclear explosives on these missiles, which could be an extremely grave threat.”

1417 GMT — Syrian regime says Iran exercised ‘right to self-defence’ in attack on Israel

The Syrian regime has said Iran acted in self-defence with a massive overnight attack on Israel that Tehran said was in retaliation for a deadly Israeli strike on Tehran’s consulate in Damascus.

“Iran’s response… is a legitimate right to self-defence” against Israel, Syrian regime’s Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian by phone, according to a report carried by regime-run news agency SANA.

1310 GMT — UN rights chief condemns Iran’s attacks

UN human rights chief has “strongly” condemned Iran’s drone and missile attacks on Israel, in retaliation for a strike in Damascus that killed several Iranian commanders.

“Such missile and drone attacks had the potential to cause significant harm beyond military targets and put civilians at risk,” Volker Turk said in a statement. “This only adds fuel to the fire in the whole region.”

1300 GMT — Iran must pay price for ‘aggression’: Israel

Israel has stressed that Iran “must pay a price for its aggression” after Tehran launched an overnight retaliatory attack targeting Israeli territory.

In a statement, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat called for “painful sanctions” to be imposed on Iran, “including but not limited to the field of missiles.”

1252 GMT — Netherlands advises against all travel to Israel – ANP news agency

The Dutch government has advised against all travel to Israel due to the uncertain security situation following overnight air strikes by Iran, news agency ANP reported.

1236 GMT — EU calls for extraordinary meeting of ministers

EU foreign policy chief has called a video-conference of EU foreign ministers following Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel.

“Following the Iranian attacks against Israel, I have called an extraordinary VTC (Video Teleconferencing) meeting of EU Foreign Affairs ministers, on Tuesday,” Josep Borrell wrote on X.

“Our objective is to contribute to de-escalation and security of the region,” he added.

1215 GMT — France tells nationals to ‘temporarily leave’ Iran

France has said that its citizens should temporarily leave Iran, as tensions in the region soar.

The French embassy in Tehran “recommends to French residents of Iran who can do so to temporarily leave the country”, the embassy said in a statement on its website.

“They are asked to exercise the utmost caution in travel” and “to avoid any gatherings”, it said.

1214 GMT — Iran’s President Raisi calls first direct attack on Israel ‘legitimate defence’

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has described his country’s attack on Israel as a “legitimate defence” and a “natural right” in response to attacks on Iranian interests.

In a statement after the country’s Revolutionary Guard launched a barrage of missiles and drones at Israel late on Saturday, the Iranian president said the measure was “within the framework of Iran’s inherent right to legitimate defence.”

1205 GMT — Ukraine’s Zelenskyy condemns Iranian counterattack

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has condemned Iran’s drone and missile attack on Israel, calling for efforts to prevent a further escalation in Middle East conflict.

“Iran’s actions threaten the entire region and the world, just as Russia’s actions threaten a larger conflict, and the obvious collaboration between the two regimes in spreading terror must face a resolute and united response from the world,” he wrote on social media platform X.

1158 GMT — UK’s Sunak calls for ‘calm heads to prevail’

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called “calm heads to prevail” as he confirmed that British fighter jets had shot down Iranian drones during Tehran’s attack on Israel.

1147 GMT — Scholz warns Iran as attacks on Israel overshadow China trip

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has warned Iran against further attacks on Israel ahead of his three-day tour of China.

Scholz is visiting the southwestern town of Chongqing as well as Shanghai and Beijing as part of a visit to shore up ties with Germany’s top trade partner while addressing growing rifts over issues including Chinese trade practices and its support for Russia.

But Iran’s attack on Israel looks set to redefine the agenda and tone of the visit.

1141 GMT — Iran says neighbours notified of attacks on Israel 72 hours in advance

Iran had notified its neighbours of its retaliatory strikes on Israel 72 hours in advance, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said.

“About 72 hours prior to our operations, we informed our friends and neighbours in the region that Iran’s response against Israel was certain, legitimate, and irrevocable,” Amirabdollahian said at a press conference.

Amirabdollahian also said in a meeting with foreign ambassadors that Iran informed the US its attacks against Israel will be “limited” and for self-defence.

1123 GMT — Iran taken Middle East to the ‘edge of the precipice’: Germany

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has said that Iran’s attack on Israel has taken the Middle East to the “edge of a precipice” and called for restraint.

She said Tehran had “plunged an entire region into chaos” and said the spiralling tensions needed to end.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz denounced a “grave escalation”, underlined Berlin’s “solidarity” with Israel and called for restraint, telling reporters during a visit to China that “we cannot but call on everyone, in particular Iran, to not continue along this path.”

1123 GMT — Pope warns against ‘spiral of violence’

Pope Francis has made a “pressing appeal” against a “spiral of violence” after Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone attack on Israel, warning of a potential regional conflagration.

“I make a pressing appeal for an end to any action which could fuel a spiral of violence that risks dragging the Middle East into an even greater conflict,” the Argentinian pontiff declared following his traditional Sunday prayer in Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican.