US won’t join response: official
WASHINGTON: United States President Joe Biden warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the US will not take part in a counteroffensive against Iran, an option Netanyahu’s war cabinet favours after a mass drone and missile attack on Israeli territory, officials say.
The threat of open warfare erupting between the arch Middle East foes and dragging in the US put the region on edge, triggering calls for restraint from global powers and Arab nations.
‘‘The Middle East is on the brink. The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating fullscale conflict.
‘‘Now is the time to defuse and deescalate,’’ United Nations Secretarygeneral Antonio Guterres told a Security Council meeting called yesterday in response to the strikes.
Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood called on the council to unequivocally condemn Iran’s attack.
‘‘Let me be clear: if Iran or its proxies take actions against the United States or further action against Israel, Iran will be held responsible,’’ he said.
Still, Biden told Netanyahu the US would not participate in any Israeli counteroffensive against Iran over the attack, a White House official said.
US State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin also spoke to counterparts including in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan, stressing the need to avoid escalation, the importance of a coordinated diplomatic response and emphasising the US would continue to support Israel’s defence.
Iran launched the attack over a suspected Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Syria on April 1 that killed top Revolutionary Guards commanders and followed months of clashes between Israel and Iran’s regional allies, triggered by the war in Gaza.
However, the attack by more than 300 missiles and drones caused only modest damage in Israel. Most were shot down by Israel’s Iron Dome defence system and with help from the US, Britain, France and Jordan.
The only serious injury reported within Israel was a 7yearold who was hurt by shrapnel.
There also was little serious property damage reported.
Authorities said an Israeli Air Force base was hit but continued to operate as normal.
Israeli officials said Netanyahu’s fivemember war cabinet favoured retaliation in a meeting yesterday, although the panel was divided over the timing and scale of any such response.
Two senior Israeli ministers signalled retaliation was not imminent and Israel would not act alone.
‘‘We will build a regional coalition and exact the price from Iran in the fashion and timing that is right for us,’’ centrist minister Benny Gantz said ahead of a war cabinet meeting.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant also said Israel had an opportunity to form a strategic alliance ‘‘against this grave threat by Iran’’.
Israel remained on high alert, but authorities lifted some emergency measures that had included a ban on some school activities and caps on large gatherings.
Iranian army chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri said on television ‘‘our response will be much larger than tonight’s military action if Israel retaliates against Iran’’, and told Washington its bases could also be attacked if it helped Israel retaliate.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said Teheran had informed the US its attack on Israel would be limited and for selfdefence, and regional neighbours had been informed of its planned strikes 72 hours in advance.
Turkish, Jordanian and Iraqi officials yesterday said Iran gave wide notice days before the attack, but US officials said Teheran did not warn Washington. — Reuters