JAKARTA - The escalation in the Middle East is not in anyone's interest, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call on Tuesday, after Britain helped Israel fend off direct airstrikes by Iran on Saturday.
"(PM Sunak) emphasizes that a significant escalation is not in anyone's interest and will only deepen insecurity in the Middle East. This is a moment for a calm head to win," the Sunak PM's Office said in a phone call reading.
PM Sunak told parliament on Monday the Group of Seven (G7) consisting of leading industrial countries was working on a coordinated action package against Iran, after launching missile and drone attacks against Israel.
Italy, which currently holds the post of G7-circular president, said it was open to granting new sanctions to those involved against Israel.
"The Prime Minister (Sunak) said Iran had miscalculated and increasingly isolated on the global stage, with the G7 coordinating a diplomatic response," a Downing Street spokesman said.
Earlier, seven Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officials were killed in airstrikes against the Iranian Consulate in Damascus, Syria, including two senior generals, on April 1. Israel, which is said to be behind the attack, did not confirm or deny it.
In retaliation, Iran launched airstrikes involving more than 300 drones and missiles last Saturday, causing minor damage in Israel and injuring a 7-year-old girl. Most of Iran's attacks were shot down by Israel's Iron Dome defense system and with the help of the US, UK, France, and Jordanian air defenses that confirmed they would shoot down missiles to drones fired by anyone and across its airspace.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu summoned his war cabinet for the second time in less than 24 hours, to consider how to react to Iran's first direct attack on Israel, a government source said.
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The third meeting, which is planned to be held on Tuesday, was postponed until Wednesday local time.
Mutual attacks between Israel and Iran have raised concerns over an open war between Israel and Iran, as well as fears of war-rooted violence in Gaza increasingly spreading in the region.
The United States, a number of countries to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued calls for Israel to exercise restraint. Fearing the danger, President Joe Biden told PM Netanyahu, the United States would not take part in Israel's retaliatory attacks on Iran, officials said on Sunday.
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