US forces participated in the destruction of Iranian missiles

Immediately after Tuesday night's attack, the White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were "closely following the Iranian attack against Israel." Furthermore, the State Department stated: "President Joe Biden ordered the US military to support Israel against Iranian attacks and to shoot down Iranian missiles. Every country in the world must join us in condemning Iran's attack on Israel."

After the Iranian attack was completed, President Joe Biden said, according to the White House Press Office: "At my order, the United States military actively supported the defense of Israel. Based on the data at this time, the attack was effectively repelled, which is a testament to the Israeli military capability and the US military. It is also evidence of the intensive planning between the United States and Israel to anticipate and defend against the nasty attack we were expecting. Make no mistake, the United States fully supports Israel."

According to the cited source, Vice President Kamala Harris, candidate of the Democratic Party in the American presidential elections in November, said: "It has become clear to everyone: Iran is a destabilizing and dangerous force in the Middle East, and the attack on Israel demonstrates and more this fact. Together with President Biden and our national security team, we monitored the attack in real time and ensured that the protection of American personnel in the region was paramount. I fully support President Biden's order for the US military to shoot down Iranian missiles targeting Israel. (...) With our help, Israel managed to repel this attack. Our joint defenses have been effective, and this cooperation has saved many innocent lives. (...) It is clear: Iran is not only a threat to Israel; Iran is also a threat to US personnel in the region, US interests, and innocent civilians in the region who suffer from Iranian-based and supported terrorist proxies. We will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend US forces and interests against Iran and Iranian-backed terrorists. And we will continue to work with our allies and partners to counter Iran's aggressive behavior and hold those responsible accountable."

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin called Tuesday's attack by Iran "an outrageous act of aggression" in a post on the official X/Twitter page yesterday morning.

• European leaders condemn the attack launched by Iran on Israel

The attack launched by the Tehran regime against Israel was condemned in strong terms by European leaders. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said: "Such actions threaten regional stability and escalate tensions in an already extremely volatile situation." In this context, the head of the European Executive reiterated the European Union's call for a "ceasefire at the border with Lebanon and in the Gaza Strip and for the release of all the hostages who have been held for almost a year" by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

French President Emmanuel Macron strongly condemned Iran's new attacks against Israel, stressing the priority he gave to the security of the Israeli state. The Elysee Palace indicated that the French president ordered his foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, to go to the Middle East again with the aim of consulting with those who can contribute to "de-escalation and finding solutions to the current crisis in all aspects his", especially regarding the situation in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. Emmanuel Macron has confirmed that his country has mobilized the "military means" it has deployed in the Middle East to help counter the ballistic missile attack launched by Iran against Israel on Tuesday evening. The French presidency did not specify what forces were used to prevent Iranian missiles from reaching their targets on Israeli soil. According to French media, it appears to be the same military device from the Middle East that France also used in Iran's previous direct attack against Israel in mid-April. France's military presence in the region consists of an air base in the United Arab Emirates, a combined air force and special forces unit to combat the Islamic State jihadist group in Iraq, and a contingent of around 600 soldiers as part of the Interim Force of UN (UNIFIL) in Lebanon, an intervention force on the border with Israel.

German Chancellor OIaf Scholz also expressed himself in relation to the escalation of the conflict situation in the Middle East: "Hezbollah and Iran must immediately stop the attacks against Israel. Iran risks setting the entire region on fire, and that must be prevented at all costs."

For her part, Annalena Baerbock, the foreign minister of Germany, said: "We warned Iran against a dangerous escalation of the situation; Iran must stop the attack immediately. I condemn the Iranian attack in the strongest possible terms."

Instead, the Kremlin said yesterday that the situation in the Middle East was developing in an alarming direction and called on all parties to show restraint. President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Russia had contacted all sides in the Middle East and made it clear that Moscow condemns any action that results in civilian deaths.

Dmitry Peskov said: "This situation is developing according to the most alarming scenario. We ask for restraint from all parties in the background of what is happening. And, of course, we condemn any actions that lead to the death of civilians."

• The former Israeli Prime Minister calls for the resignation of the UN Secretary General

On this occasion, we also recorded two requests for the resignation of the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, from former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and former ambassador Gilad Erdan. The scandal started from the post made on the official page of X/Twitter by Antonio Guterres, who wrote: "I condemn the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, escalation that comes after another escalation. The parties in conflict must stop. We absolutely must have a ceasefire".

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett immediately reacted: "I think you're joking. Condemn the extension of the escalation? You simply cannot write «I condemn Iran for launching 180 deadly ballistic missiles at the citizens of Israel. Leave (ed.-from the position of Secretary General of the UN)!".

The former ambassador of Israel to the UN, Gilad Erdan, expressed the same sentiment, who told Antonio Guterres: "You are a sad joke. A modern ally of Hitler. You will be remembered as a collaborator of mass murderers. Resign".

In the defense of Guterres, the Representation of Iran at the United Nations jumped in, which stated, according to the media from Tehran: "Iran's legal, rational and legitimate response to the actions of the Zionist regime, which included harming Iranian citizens and interests and affecting the national sovereignty of Islamic Republic of Iran, was duly fulfilled. If the Zionist regime dares to retaliate or commit further malicious acts, there will be a crushing response to that as well."