UN Security Council calls emergency meeting amid aggravation in Middle East

GENEVA: Just a day after Iran struck back against Israel after launching a slew of missile attacks in Tel Aviv following killing of top leadership of Hezbollah by the Zionist state, the United Nations Security Council called an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss ways to avoid escalation in the Middle East.

Recent episodes of bloody confrontation between warring parties of the Middle East brought the matters on edge, culminating into a full-blown conflict in the powder keg region of West Asia.

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres once again called for an immediate ceasefire while British Prime Minister Kier Starmer condemned Iran’s attack on Israel by reaffirming Britain’s unwavering support for Israel’s defence. The British PM urged Iranian leadership to abandon support for proxies aiming to target the Zionist state.

Earlier, United States of America President Joe Biden also vowed to stand by Israel come what may.

Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation to the latter’s campaign against Tehran’s Hezbollah allies in Lebanon and the killing of its chief and that of Hamas.

Alarms sounded across Israel and explosions could be heard in Jerusalem and the Jordan River valley after Israelis piled into bomb shelters. Reporters on state television lay flat on the ground during live broadcasts.

People witnessed missiles intercepted in the airspace of neighbouring Jordan. Israeli media reports said as many as 100 missiles had been launched.

After about an hour, the military announced there was no longer a threat and “it was decided that it is now permitted to leave protected spaces in all areas across the country”, with a “large number” of Iranian missiles intercepted.

Reports said between 150 and 200 missiles had been fired in the attack.

Read more: Iran Unleashes Hypersonic, Ballistic Missile Barrage on Israel in Escalating Conflict