The United States has urged Iran to end its recent attacks on Israel, following a series of Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets in response to prior hostilities. The call for de-escalation came from US National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett, who emphasized the need to prevent further escalation in the region.

Israeli Strikes in Iran

In the early hours of Saturday, around 2 am local time, Israeli forces carried out airstrikes on several Iranian locations, including military bases in Tehran, the western province of Ilam, and the southwestern province of Khuzestan. Israel described the operation as a retaliatory move for previous Iranian attacks.

According to the state-owned IRNA news agency, Iran reported that its defense systems intercepted the missiles, resulting in "limited" damage. Tehran condemned the strikes, accusing Israel of targeting strategic military sites.

US Response

Speaking to reporters, Sean Savett defended Israel's actions as a measured act of "self-defense" that specifically avoided populated areas, targeting only military installations. In contrast, he criticized Iran's previous attacks on Israel, noting that they had targeted "Israel's most populous city."

The National Security Council spokesman clarified that the United States was not involved in Israel's latest operation. He reiterated that Washington's priority is to "accelerate diplomacy and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region."

Background of the Escalating Conflict

The recent Israeli strikes were triggered by Iran's retaliation on October 1, when it launched waves of missiles at Israel. This attack followed the deaths of key figures, including Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander, whom Israel targeted. Additionally, in April, Iran responded to an Israeli strike on its embassy in Damascus, which killed two Iranian generals, by launching hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel.

International Reactions

As tensions remain high, international calls for restraint have increased. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp took to social media on Friday to highlight his recent conversation with Iran’s Foreign Minister about the Middle East conflicts. Veldkamp stressed the importance of "preventing further escalation" and urged all parties to exercise restraint.

The conflict between Israel and Iran has intensified amid the broader regional tensions, which were exacerbated by a major attack from the Palestinian Hamas movement on southern Israel on October 7 of last year, leading to a protracted conflict that has since involved Lebanon. The situation remains volatile as global actors continue to push for a diplomatic resolution.