US, UK and other countries condemn Iran's attack on Israel

UN Secretary General urges all sides 'to exercise maximum restraint'

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The US, UK and other western countries condemned Iran's drone and missile attack on Israel.

US President Joe Biden condemned the attack “in the strongest possible terms”.

In a statement released late on Saturday, he said that to support Israel's defence, the US military had “moved aircraft and ballistic missile defence destroyers to the region over the course of the past week” and that this deployment had allowed the US to help Israel “take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles”.

After the attack, Mr Biden held a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which he affirmed “America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel”.

“I told him that Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks – sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel.”

Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives, said that the US must show its “full resolve” to stand with Israel – though he blamed the Biden administration's “undermining” of Israel and “appeasement” of Iran for contributing to the situation.

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned the attack “in the strongest terms”.

“Iran has once again demonstrated that it is intent on sowing chaos in its own backyard,” he said. The UK was working with regional partners to stabilise the situation, he added.

“No one wants to see more bloodshed.”

British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps also condemned the attack, saying it “serves no benefit other than to further undermine regional security”.

In response to the escalation in the region, Mr Shapps said that he and the Prime Minister had “authorised the deployment of additional Royal Air Force assets”.

France also expressed anger over the attack. French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said: “By deciding on such an unprecedented action, Iran is taking a new step in its destabilising actions and taking the risk of a military escalation.”

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the attack could plunge the region “into chaos”.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called the attack an “unprecedented escalation” that is a "grave threat to regional security”.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: “After supporting Hamas’s brutal October 7 attack, the Iranian regime’s latest actions will further destabilise the region and make lasting peace more difficult.”

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for “an immediate cessation of these hostilities”.

“I am deeply alarmed about the very real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation,” he said.

“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.”