The worldwide neighborhood has reacted with alarm after Iran launched explosive drones and fired missiles at Israel in its first direct assault on Israeli territory.
Tehran had been threatening to assault Israel after an air raid on April 1, broadly blamed on Israel, destroyed Iran’s consulate in Syria, killing 12 folks, together with two elite Iranian generals.
The Israeli forces mentioned in an announcement early on Sunday the “overwhelming majority” of missiles launched from Iran had been intercepted exterior of Israel’s borders.
Tensions between Israel and Iran have soared since Israel’s six-month warfare within the Gaza Strip.
Right here is how the world reacted to Iran’s retaliatory assaults on Israel:
United States
President Joe Biden condemned the Iranian assaults and pledged a coordinated G7 diplomatic response. He mentioned the US had helped Israel take down “almost all” of the attacking drones and missiles.
Biden mentioned in an announcement launched by the White Home that he reiterated the “ironclad” US assist for Israel’s safety in a name with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I instructed him that Israel demonstrated a exceptional capability to defend in opposition to and defeat even unprecedented assaults – sending a transparent message to its foes that they can’t successfully threaten the safety of Israel,” he mentioned within the assertion.
“Tomorrow [Sunday], I’ll convene my fellow G7 leaders to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen assault,” he mentioned.
United Kingdom
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described Iran’s actions as “reckless”.
“Iran has as soon as once more demonstrated that it’s intent on sowing chaos in its personal yard,” he mentioned in an announcement posted on X.
“The UK will proceed to face up for Israel’s safety and that of all our regional companions, together with Jordan and Iraq,” he added.
Learn my assertion on the Iranian regime’s reckless assault in opposition to Israel. pic.twitter.com/xeuR3cd3kG
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) April 13, 2024
European Union
“The EU strongly condemns the unacceptable Iranian assault in opposition to Israel,” EU’s high diplomat Josep Borrell mentioned in a submit on X.
“That is an unprecedented escalation and a grave risk to regional safety.”
France
Overseas Minister Stephane Sejourne mentioned Iran is taking a “new step in its destabilising actions and taking the chance of a army escalation”.
Germany
“We strongly condemn the continuing assault, which may plunge a complete area into chaos. Iran and its proxies should cease this instantly,” Overseas Minister Annalena Baerbock mentioned.
“Israel provides our full solidarity presently.”
United Nations
“I strongly condemn the intense escalation represented by the large-scale assault launched on Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran this night,” Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres wrote in an announcement.
“I’m deeply alarmed concerning the very actual hazard of a devastating region-wide escalation. I urge all events to train most restraint to keep away from any motion that might result in main army confrontations on a number of fronts within the Center East,” he added.
Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau instructed reporters in Ottawa that his nation “unequivocally condemns Iran’s airborne assaults”, including: “We stand with Israel.”
“After supporting Hamas’s brutal October 7 assault, the Iranian regime’s newest actions will additional destabilise the area and make lasting peace tougher,” he added.
China
China is deeply involved about escalation after Iran’s assaults, a Ministry of Overseas Affairs spokesperson mentioned in remarks printed on its web site.
“China calls on related events to stay calm and train restraint to keep away from additional escalation of tensions,” the spokesperson mentioned in response to a query about Iran’s strikes.
This spherical of tensions is a “spillover from the Gaza battle”, and quelling that battle is “a high precedence”, the spokesperson added.
Spain
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez known as for restraint, saying on X: “We’re following with the best concern the evolution of the scenario within the Center East. One should in any respect value keep away from a regional escalation.”
Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Ministry of Overseas Affairs issued an announcement voicing its concern on the “army escalation” and calling on “all events to train utmost restraint and spare the area and its peoples from the risks of warfare”.
It went on to induce the UN Safety Council “to imagine its accountability in direction of sustaining worldwide peace and safety”.
Qatar
The Gulf nation known as on all involved events to cease the escalation and train utmost restraint.
In an announcement, the Qatari Ministry of Overseas Affairs expressed “its deep concern relating to the developments within the area”.
It known as on “all events to de-escalate and train utmost restraint”.
It urged “the worldwide neighborhood to take pressing motion to defuse stress and scale back escalation within the area”.
Egypt
The Ministry of Overseas Affairs expressed its “deep concern” on the escalation of hostilities and known as for “most restraint”.
Its assertion additionally warned of the “threat of the regional enlargement of the battle”, and added that Egypt can be “in direct contact with all events to the battle to try to include the scenario”.
Colombia
President Gustavo Petro known as the assaults “predictable”, including that “we’re now within the prelude to World Warfare III exactly when humanity ought to rebuild its economic system in direction of the fast objective of decarbonisation”.
“The assist of the US, in follow, for a genocide, has ignited the world. Everybody is aware of how wars begin, nobody is aware of how they finish. If solely the folks of Israel had been excessive sufficient, like their ancestors, to cease the insanity of their ruler,” he mentioned in an announcement.
“The United Nations should meet urgently and should instantly decide to peace.”
Brazil
The Ministry of Overseas Affairs issued an announcement saying it follows “with grave preoccupation” the information that Iranian drones and missiles had been despatched to Israel.
It famous that Brazil has been warning the worldwide neighborhood, for the reason that starting of the warfare on Gaza that the battle may unfold all through the area.
Argentina
The workplace of President Javier Milei expressed its “solidarity and unwavering dedication” to Israel within the face of the assaults.
It added that Argentina “emphatically helps the State of Israel within the defence of its sovereignty, particularly in opposition to regimes that promote terror”, noting an Argentinian courtroom lately held Iran accountable for bomb assaults on the Israeli embassy and a Jewish neighborhood centre in Buenos Aires within the Nineteen Nineties.
