UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the Middle East is facing a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict, and called on the parties involved to keep “maximum restraint” to avert it.
“It is vital to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle East…Now is the time for maximum restraint,” the UN chief told delegates at the opening of an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that was convened in the wake of Iran’s missile attacks against Israel.
Guterres explained that the emergency session was called by Israel following what it described in a letter as “a direct attack launched by Iran… of more than 200 UAVs, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles towards Israel in clear violation of international law.”
Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan said attacks were launched from Iranian soil, as well as Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.
The attack on Israel from multiple fronts comes at a time it is waging a war against Hamas in Gaza.
“Last night the world witnessed an unprecedented escalation that is clear proof of what can happen when warnings are ignored … [Israel] was not crying wolf; it was trying to wake the world up to the dangers posed by Iran and Its proxies,” the Israeli representative said, adding: “Israel has been sounding the alarm bells.”
He showed a video of what he called an attack on the Temple Mount, and he asked the Security Council: “What have you done to protect the world from Iran?”
Iran’s Ambassador to the UN Amir Saed Iravani said, “Iran’s operation was entirely in the exercise of Iran’s inherent right to self-defense. This concluded action was necessary and proportionate. It was precise and only targeted military objectives and carried out carefully to minimize the potential for escalation and prevent civilian harm”.
US Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood strongly condemned the attack, and said, “Iran’s intent was to cause significant damage and death in Israel.”
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