Israel-Iran Conflict Live Updates: Iran initiated its first-ever direct assault on Israel late Saturday, firing a large number of explosive drones and missiles. This offensive was a direct response to an Israeli strike on an Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1, which killed at least 13 people, among them two senior officers of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
In a subsequent statement on Sunday, US President Joe Biden denounced Iran’s actions and announced plans for a G7 meeting to discuss a collective diplomatic strategy. “Tomorrow, I will convene my fellow G7 leaders to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack,” he declared.
In the aftermath of the April 1 consulate attack, Iran had promised retribution against Israel. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reported by state television as stating: “We will make them regretful about the crime and similar acts.” Furthermore, Iran’s ambassador, Hossein Akbari, pledged to retaliate with equal severity and intensity.
As Iran launched the attack Saturday, US forces joined efforts to shoot the drones down. It was claimed that the forces shot down many drones flying towards Tel Aviv.
Biden said the US support was “ironclad” for Israel against all attacks by Iran and its proxies, even as Iran has warned of more attacks, and said the United Nations has failed in its duty. In a statement, Ambassador Amir Sayeed Iravani, Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the UN, said they won’t “hesitate to exercise its inherent right of self-defence when required”.
Meanhwile, citing threat to “peace and security in the region”, India has called for an “immediate de-escalation” of the situation, asking for “exercise of restraint”. In a statement issued Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs said: “We are seriously concerned at the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran which threatens the peace and security in the region.”
