Netanyahu says Israel to make own decision on Iran attack response

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday Israel will make its own decision about a response to the Iranian missile and drone attack.

Netanyahu delivered the statement after meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalaena Baerbock as Israel’s allies have urged restraint.

“I thank our friends for their support in defense of Israel and I say this – support in both words and deeds,” Netanyahu said in a statement Wednesday. “They also have all kinds of suggestions and advice, which I appreciate; however, I would also like to clarify – we will make our decisions ourselves. The State of Israel will do whatever is necessary to defend itself.”

Netanyahu added he had spoken to British

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday night and would soon speak with other leaders.

Sunak warned Netanyahu that “significant escalation will only deepen instability in the region,” adding that this is a time for calm heads to prevail.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron told Netanyahu any Israeli response should be both smart and limited.

Cameron said he hoped Israel’s response would also be as limited and targeted as possible.

Cameron indicated that he expects Israel will retaliate against Iran’s attack, which itself was a retaliation against the attack on Iran’s Syrian consulate that killed high-ranking Iranian military officers.

The comments came after a panel of experts convened by the United Nations on Tuesday said that Iran and Israel should de-escalate the conflict as the back-and-forth attacks violate international law.

Iran’s proxies in the Middle East, including Hezbollah in Syria and Lebanon have been attacking Israel after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel triggered the war in Gaza.

In a statement Tuesday U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said late Tuesday new punitive sanctions against Iran will be announced in coming days in response to Iran’s attack on Israel.