Nearly 50 countries condemn Iran’s attack on Israel, call for de-escalation

Nearly 50 countries issued a statement late Wednesday condemning Iran’s missile and drone attacks on Israel, calling on all parties in the region to work together to prevent further escalation of the situation, and pledging diplomatic cooperation in resolving tensions in the Middle East.

Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia , Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Micronesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and the United States.

“We note that Iran’s escalating attacks are the latest in a series of dangerous and destabilizing actions by Iran and its armed partners, posing a serious threat to international peace and security,” the statement said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel would decide for itself how to respond to weekend attacks by Iran, despite Western calls for restraint to avoid a full-scale Middle East war.

The United States, the European Union and the Group of Seven industrialized nations have all announced plans to consider tougher sanctions on Iran, a move aimed at supporting Israel while convincing it to refrain from retaliating against Tehran.

Netanyahu met with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock. Both officials traveled to Israel as part of Western attempts to prevent further escalation in Israel’s confrontation with Iran, as Israel’s war with Hamas militants in Gaza now enters its seventh month.

Netanyahu’s office said he thanked Cameron and Berbok for their support, while telling them, “I want to be clear – we will make our own decisions and the State of Israel will take all necessary measures to defend itself.”

Earlier, Cameron said it was now clear Israel planned to retaliate against hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones targeting Israel, nearly all of which Israel and its allies shot down. Tehran launched the attack on Saturday in response to an alleged Israeli airstrike on April 1 that killed an officer at the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus.

Barbok said the escalation “does no good for anyone, no good for Israel’s security, no good for the dozens of hostages still in the hands of Hamas, no good for the suffering people of Gaza, no good for the people who are suffering under this regime.” It does no good for the many Iranian people who are suffering, and it does not do any good for Iran.” Third countries in the region just want to live in peace. “

Israel says it must retaliate to preserve its credibility.

Speaking at the annual military parade on the outskirts of Tehran, Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi warned Israel against retaliation, saying Iran would respond with a “massive and severe response.”

Since Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, triggering the Gaza war, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, conflicts have broken out between Israel and Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.

Gaza health officials say Israel’s counteroffensive has killed nearly 34,000 people in Gaza, two-thirds of them women and children. Israel said the death toll included thousands of Hamas fighters.

Senior US officials said Iran’s first attack on Israel was launched from Iran itself and involved more than 110 ballistic missiles, 30 cruise missiles and more than 150 one-way explosive drones. They said Iran’s proxy forces in Iraq, Syria and Yemen were also involved in the attack.

Iran called Sunday’s airstrike a one-off incident in retaliation for an attack on its consulate in Damascus.

Israel’s war cabinet has met several times in recent days to discuss Israel’s response.

Information for this report was obtained in part from The Associated Press, AFP and Reuters.