London, April 15 (Hindustan Reporter) Leaders of G7 countries on Sunday condemned Iran's deadly attack on Israel and called for “restraint”.
“We unanimously condemn Iran’s attack against Israel,” European Council President Charles Michel wrote on Twitter after the online meeting. “We will continue all our efforts to work towards reducing tensions. Ending the crisis in Gaza as soon as possible, especially through an immediate ceasefire, will make a difference. The leaders offered their full support for Israel, saying they were ready to “take further steps” in response to “further destabilizing initiatives.”
“We will continue to work to stabilize the situation and prevent further deterioration,” he said in a video statement published by the Italian G7 presidency after the meeting. In this spirit, we demand that Iran and its proxies cease their attacks, and we stand ready to take further steps now in response to further destabilizing initiatives. Meanwhile, world leaders urged restraint after Iran launched an unprecedented wave of missiles and attack drones against arch-enemy Israel overnight, at a time when the Gaza war has heightened tensions in the Middle East.
The Israeli military said Israel and its allies intercepted most of the incoming projectiles, with 12 reported injuries and no deaths, but the attack quickly raised fears of an Israeli retaliatory attack.
The United States, Israel's top ally, also urged caution and calm. “We don't want to see this escalate,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. We are not expecting a widespread war with Iran.
President Joe Biden reaffirmed US support for Israel but also guided his ally to steer clear of a military response against their common rival Iran.
Before attacking Tehran, Israel's military warned Iran that it would face “consequences if it chooses to further escalate the situation.” Netanyahu was holding a meeting of his war cabinet on Sunday, held amid the Gaza conflict sparked by the October 7 attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Throughout the night, air raid sirens continued to sound and Israeli civilians tried to hide in bunkers and shelters, as missile defense systems and fighter planes intercepted drones and missiles in the night sky. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned Israel on Sunday against “reckless” retaliation that would lead to a “decisive and very strong response.”