G7 leaders urge de-escalation but ‘stand ready’ after Iran attack on Israel
Israeli military says it has intercepted “99%” of the more than 300 Iranian drones and missiles
A small number of hits had been identified at a military base in southern Israel, causing only minor damage to infrastructure
The IDF also said a seven-year-old girl has been severely injured by shrapnel from an interceptor missile
The UK, United States and France are said to be "working closely" with Israel and all deployed jets to intercept the airborne attacks
World leaders have called for 'restraint' in the Middle East as fears over an escalation mount
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met with G7 leaders on Sunday afternoon
Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has summoned Iranian Embassy officials to the Foreign Office
Leaders of the G7 have urged de-escalation in the Middle East but said they “stand ready to take further measures now and in response to further destabilising initiatives” after Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel.
In a joint statement following an urgent meeting on Sunday, countries including the UK and US “unequivocally” condemned Tehran’s strikes and expressed “full solidarity” with Israel.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak earlier confirmed that British RAF jets shot down a number of Iranian drones after the country announced it had launched retaliatory action on its long-standing enemy.
The G7 statement issued through Downing Street said: “We, the leaders of the G7, unequivocally condemn in the strongest terms Iran’s direct and unprecedented attack against Israel.
“Iran fired hundreds of drones and missiles towards Israel. Israel, with the help of its partners, defeated the attack. We express our full solidarity and support to Israel and its people and reaffirm our commitment towards its security.
“With its actions, Iran has further stepped toward the destabilisation of the region and risks provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation. This must be avoided.
“We will continue to work to stabilise the situation and avoid further escalation. In this spirit, we demand that Iran and its proxies cease their attacks, and we stand ready to take further measures now and in response to further destabilising initiatives.
“We will also strengthen our cooperation to end the crisis in Gaza, including by continuing to work towards an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas, and deliver increased humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in need.”
Speaking from Downing Street on Sunday morning, Mr Sunak said: 'I want to pay tribute to the bravery of our pilots.'
Israel said Iran launched 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and at least 120 ballistic missiles in an assault that set off air raid sirens across the country.
By Sunday morning, Tehran said the attack was over and Israel reopened its air space.
The assault was launched in response to a strike widely blamed on Israel on an Iranian consular building in Syria earlier this month, which killed two Iranian generals.
It is the first direct military attack launched by Tehran on Israel, despite enmity dating back to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The latest development brought years of shadow war between the two foes out into the open as the conflict in Gaza inflames decades-old tensions in the Middle East.
In a conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu overnight, Biden sought to frame Israel’s successful interception of the Iranian onslaught as a major victory - with the suggestion that further Israeli response was unnecessary.
During a phone call Biden told Netanyahu that he should consider Saturday's defence as a win because Iran’s attacks had been largely unsuccessful and demonstrated Israel’s superior military capability, a senior administration official said.
John Kirby, the White House national security spokesman, said on Sunday the ability to prevent widespread damage was a demonstration of Israel’s “military superiority” and proof that Iran was not the “military power that they claim to be.”
“This was an incredible success, really proving Israel’s military superiority and just as critically, their diplomatic superiority, that they have friends in the region, that they have around the world that are willing to help them,” Mr Kirby told CNN.
Even as US officials stressed to their counterparts that the final decision on how to respond to Iran is up to Israel, Biden has sought to prevent a wider escalation of the conflict.
The attack marks the first time Iran has launched a direct assault on Israel from its soil, sparking concerns over a wider escalation in the Middle East.
Reaction to Iran's strikes on Israel has poured in from world leaders, some openly condemning Tehran, while others are calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, with almost all urging restraint as tensions continue to rise.
The Jordanian government has appealed for all parties to “exercise restraint and handle regional tensions with discipline and responsibility”.
Officials in Jordan, which is situated on Israel's border, said it had intercepted “foreign objects in Jordanian airspace to protect citizens and residential areas".
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an immediate halt to hostilities in the Middle East.
“I urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle East,” Guterres wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“I have repeatedly stressed that neither the region nor the world can afford another war," he added.
Various European countries condemned the attack and expressed support for Israel, with the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, describing it on X as “an unprecedented escalation and a grave threat to regional security”.
Footage from ITV News' Senior International Correspondent John Irvine shows Israeli defences intercepting drones launched from Iran over Tel Aviv
'Together we shall win' says Israeli PM
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made his first public statement after the attack, vowing to the country's people that "together we shall win."
Posting on X, Netanyahu said: “We have intercepted, we have contained. Together we shall win.”
Only “a small number” of the ballistics reached the country's territory causing minimal damage, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.
In a televised briefing on Sunday, he confirmed a small number of hits had been identified at a military base in southern Israel, causing only minor damage to infrastructure.
The IDF also said a seven-year-old girl has been severely injured by shrapnel from an interceptor missile.
Hagari said some of the overnight launches were from Iraq and Yemen.
Iran warns it will respond with more force if Israel retaliates
"The Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate to exercise its inherent right of self-defence when required," Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, said in a statement.
"Should the Israeli regime commit any military aggression again, Iran's response will assuredly and decisively be stronger and more resolute,” he added.
Citing self-defence against Israeli military aggressions, ambassador Iravani said the strikes were specifically in retaliation to an Israeli attack on April 1 against what Iran says were diplomatic facilities in Damascus.
Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack which killed two top Iranian generals.
The statement also criticised the United Nations Security Council for “failing to uphold international peace,” allowing Israel to “breach” established international norms and “escalate” regional tensions.
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