The United States (U.S.) issued a warning to the United Nations (UN) Security Council about potential attacks from Iran on both them and Israel. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the need to end the cycle of violence in the Middle East during a UN Security Council meeting. The meeting was prompted by Israel’s killing of a Hezbollah leader and subsequent ground offensive in southern Lebanon, leading to Iran retaliating with ballistic missiles.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield called for accountability for Iran’s actions and urged the council to condemn the attacks and impose sanctions on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Guterres also condemned Iran’s attack on Israel. Israel’s foreign minister faced criticism for not condemning the attack and was banned from entering the country.
In response, Iran justified its actions as self-defense under the UN Charter, citing Israeli aggression. Despite this argument, Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon declared that Israel would respond decisively and within international law, emphasizing that Iran’s attack targeted civilians.