Amid Israel-Israel war, UN fears attack on nuclear facilities: 10pm

1. As Israel considers how to respond to Iran’s onslaught, it is facing pressure from its allies to show restraint and avoid escalating regional conflicts.

2. The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said they were concerned that Israel could target Iran’s nuclear facilities. “We are always concerned about this possibility,” said Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

3. Tensions were further heightened as Iran launched its first direct attack on Israel in retaliation for a deadly attack on its consulate in Damascus earlier this month.

4. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the war cabinet late last night to discuss possible responses, with the country’s military chief of staff saying the country would respond to an Iranian attack.

5. The U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting on Sunday following the Iranian attack, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warning the region was “on the brink of war” and calling for a de-escalation of tensions.

6. U.S. officials who helped thwart the attack urged Israel to exercise caution after the Iranian attack. U.S. President Joe Biden also told Netanyahu that Washington would not provide military support for any retaliation against Iran, White House officials told local media.

7. India says rising tensions in the region must be resolved through “dialogue and diplomacy”. “We call for immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, an end to violence and a return to the path of diplomacy,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

8. Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles toward Israel on Saturday night, and the Israeli military said nearly all of them were intercepted.

9. Tehran said it considered the matter “over” unless Israel chose to make “another mistake.” “However, if the Israeli regime makes another mistake, Iran’s response will be even harsher,” Iran’s mission to the United Nations said.

10. Tensions between Israel and Iran have heightened concerns that violence stemming from the war in Gaza is spreading further across the region. Since the war in Gaza broke out on October 7, conflicts have broken out between Israel and Iran-aligned groups in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.

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