G7 ‘ready to take measures’ after Iran’s Israel attack
- Group of Seven countries consider sanctions after Iran’s missile and drone attack on Israel
- Iran’s attack was revenge for an air strike on its embassy grounds in Damascus on April 1
G7 leaders offered their full support for Israel on Sunday following an attack by Iran, and said they were ready to “take further measures” in response to “further destabilising initiatives”.
In a statement following a video meeting, the leaders of the Group of Seven powers said they “unequivocally condemn in the strongest terms Iran’s direct and unprecedented attack against Israel”.
“We express our full solidarity and support to Israel and its people and reaffirm our commitment towards its security,” they said, in the statement published by the Italian G7 presidency.
“With its actions, Iran has further stepped toward the destabilisation of the region and risks provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation. This must be avoided.
“We will continue to work to stabilise the situation and avoid further escalation.
“In this spirit, we demand that Iran and its proxies cease their attacks, and we stand ready to take further measures now and in response to further destabilising initiatives.”
UN chief calls for maximum restraint after Iran’s attack on Israel
Several G7 countries proposed that the Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s armed forces, be designated as a terrorist organisation, a senior US official said.
At Israel’s request, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the attack.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a separate statement: “Going forward we will reflect on additional sanctions against Iran in close cooperation with our partners. Specifically on its drone and missile programmes”.
The Israeli military said Iran launched 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles and 120 ballistic missiles from Saturday evening to the following morning and that almost all were intercepted, though light damage was inflicted on a military base in southern Israel.
Iran launched the attack, its first ever to directly target Israeli territory, in retaliation for a deadly air strike widely blamed on Israel that destroyed its consular building in Syria’s capital early this month.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said in a statement Sunday that the attack has “taught a lesson” to Israel. He warned Israel and the United States to refrain from retaliation, saying if Israel or its supporters “show perverse behaviour, they will receive a decisive and far more violent response”.
Israel and its allies intercepted the vast majority of incoming projectiles, the Israeli army said, reporting 12 people injured and no deaths.
“Together we thwarted Iran’s attack, Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a televised statement.
“This was the first time that such a coalition worked together against the threat of Iran and its proxies in the Middle East.”
The attack came as the war between Israel and Hamas raged in besieged Gaza.
The G7 – which groups the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Canada – also said Sunday they would step up efforts to end that crisis.
“We will also strengthen our cooperation to end the crisis in Gaza, including by continuing to work towards an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas, and deliver increased humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in need,” they said.
The Israel-Gaza war began with an unprecedented October 7 attack by the militant group against Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,729 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
The United States, meanwhile, said it will not join any potential Israeli counter-attack against Iran following Tehran’s aerial assault, a senior US official said on Sunday.
“We would not be a part of any response they do,” the Biden administration official told reporters on a call. “We would not envision ourselves participating in such an act.”
Nato said it was “vital that the conflict in the Middle East does not spiral out of control”.
Similar calls came from Britain, China, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the Vatican, where Pope Francis called for “an end to any action which could fuel a spiral of violence”.
Agence France-Presse, Kyodo, Associated Press
