US President Joe Biden promised “ironclad” support for Israel against Iranian attacks, after holding an urgent meeting with his top security officials over the spiraling crisis in the Middle East.

Reported by Umashankar Singh, Edited by Aditi Gautam Published in: NDTV World

Iran has launched an unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel after pledging retaliation for a strike on its consular building in Syria.

Here are 10 points on the big story

1.  Iran launched over 200 drones and missiles at Israel as its proxies and allies also carried out coordinated attacks on Israeli positions. “The regime in Iran sent a massive swarm of over 200 killer drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles,” an Israeli army spokesman said.
2. Iran insists it acted in “self-defence” after the targeting of its diplomatic mission in Damascus. It said it hoped its action would prompt no further escalation and “the matter can be deemed concluded.”
3. The Israeli army said that Iran’s attack on Israel using hundreds of drones and missiles had been “foiled,” with 99 percent of them intercepted. Troops are deployed on all fronts, prepared, and continuing to defend Israeli territory, the statement said.
4. President Joe Biden said that US forces helped take down “nearly all” the drones and missiles fired by Iran at Israel, adding that he had reaffirmed his “ironclad” support to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden said he would convene his fellow leaders of the G7 group of wealthy nations to coordinate a “united diplomatic response” to Iran’s “brazen” attack.
5. Some White House officials, however, told local media that US will not participate in any offensive operations against Iran. The comments were relayed during the phone call that Biden and Netanyahu had earlier today, the officials said.
6. Israeli PM Netanyahu has vowed to respond defensively and offensively, saying that Israel has been preparing for a direct attack by Iran for years.
7. The European Union, Britain, France, Mexico, Czechia, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands all condemned Iran’s attack. The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting today over Iran’s unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel, the body’s president said.
8. India, meanwhile, said its seriously concerned at the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran that threatens the peace and security in the West Asia region. “We call for immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, stepping back from violence and return to the path of diplomacy,” a Foreign Ministry statement said.
9. The Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, now in its seventh month, has driven up tensions in the region, spreading to fronts with Lebanon and Syria and drawing long-range fire at Israeli targets from as far away as Yemen and Iraq.
10. Those clashes now threaten to morph into a direct open conflict pitting Iran and its regional allies against Israel and its main supporter the United States, with regional power Egypt urging “utmost restraint”