World leaders call for de-escalation after Iran's missile attack on Israel

FRANCE 24

2 October 2024 at 3:11 am·1-min read

World leaders called for restraint on Tuesday after Iran launched its biggest missile attack yet against arch-foe Israel, while the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas hailed the attack, calling it "revenge for the blood of our heroic martyrs".

World leaders have urged Iran and Israel to step back from the brink after Tehran fired a barrage of rockets at its arch-rival.

Tehran said the attack on Tuesday – which took place as Israel said it was mounting a ground offensive against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon – was in response to the killings of Iran-backed militant leaders.

It was the second time Iran has directly attacked Israel, after a missile and drone attack in April in retaliation for a deadly Israeli air strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

‘Need a ceasefire’: UN

After the wave of missiles, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the “broadening conflict in the Middle East”.

With Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah broadening alongside its ongoing war with Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza, Guterres slammed “escalation after escalation” in the region.

“This must stop. We absolutely need a ceasefire.”

‘Totally unacceptable’: US

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

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‘Need a ceasefire’: UN

‘Totally unacceptable’: US

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