European allies urge Israel against military response to Iran as war cabinet convenes

The Times of Israel reports: “The United Kingdom, France and Germany urged Israel on Monday not to retaliate against Iran after its unprecedented attack on Saturday night, warning that a military response could send the Middle East spiraling into an all-out war, as Israel’s war cabinet prepared to meet to discuss its options against Tehran.

Speaking to the BBC ahead of an expected statement by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday afternoon, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that while the inclination to respond to the roughly 350 attack drones and missiles launched by Tehran was justified, Israel needs to ‘think with its head as well as its heart, to be smart as well as tough.’

The UK has advised Israel that it would be better off not retaliating, Cameron said, declaring that the attack was a ‘double defeat’ for Iran in that it failed to cause major damage to Israel while at the same revealing ‘to the world that [Iran is] the malign influence in the region prepared to do this.’

Although the UK is pushing Israel to show restraint and de-escalate, he noted that Israel will ultimately make its own decisions regarding how it protects its citizens…”

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