David Cameron 'deeply concerned' about Iran's threat to Israel, as Netanyahu vows to 'harm' enemies

12 April 2024, 06:23

David Cameron has said he is "deeply concerned" about the threat Iran poses to Israel, amid concerns Tehran is preparing an attack in response to a deadly Israeli strike.

The UK's Foreign Secretary said he had "made it clear" to his Iranian counterpart that Iran "must not draw the Middle East into a wider conflict".

Lord Cameron said: "I am deeply concerned about the potential for miscalculation leading to further violence.

"Iran should instead work to de-escalate and prevent further attacks."

Two top Iranian generals, among others, were killed in a recent strike on the country's consulate in Syria.

The US believes Israel was responsible for the attack on the consulate. Israel has not openly taken responsibility for the strike, but Iran has said that it considers Israel responsible.

The US has said it did not have any prior knowledge of the attack, but has promised to back Israel in the face of Iranian threats.

Iran is involved in the current regional conflicts with Israel by proxy, as it funds Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.

Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei vowed revenge on Israel in a sermon marking the end of Ramadan.

He said: “When they attack the consulate, it is as if they have attacked our soil.

"The evil regime made a mistake and must be punished and it shall be."

Iran said on Thursday that it would respond to the airstrike soon.

A spokesperson said: "Had the UN Security Council condemned the Zionist regime’s reprehensible act of aggression on our diplomatic premises in Damascus and subsequently brought to justice its perpetrators, the imperative for Iran to punish this rogue regime might have been obviated."

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, warned in response that "whoever harms us, we will harm them".

A spokesman for the IDF said Israel was "highly prepared for a range of scenarios".

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It comes after Joe Biden said during a speech on Wednesday: "We also want to address the Iranian threat to launch a significant attack on Israel.

"Our commitment to Israel's security against these threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad.

"We say it again, ironclad, and we're going to do all we can to protect Israel's security," Mr Biden said.

The US is Israel's most important backer, but Mr Biden has urged a ceasefire in the war in Gaza because of the high level of civilian casualties.

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Israel's defence minister Yoav Gallant said Iran would be hit with a “powerful response in its territory” if it struck on Israeli soil.

He added: “In this war, we are being attacked from more than one front … from different directions,” he said.

“Any enemy that tries to attack us will first of all be met with a strong defence. But we will know how to react very quickly with a decisive offensive action against the territory of whoever attacks our territory, no matter where it is, in the entire Middle East."

It comes as Israel killed three sons of one of Hamas' top leaders in an air strike on Wednesday.