15 April 2024 , 13:39
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Foreign Secretary David Cameron’s remarks come amid fears Israel could retaliate after Iran’s attack on Saturday evening with 300 missiles and drones
David Cameron has described Iran’s "reckless" attack on Israel as an "almost total failure" as he called on Benjamin Netanyahu to de-escalate tensions.
The Foreign Secretary’s remarks come amid fears Israel could retaliate after Tehran’s attack on Saturday evening with 300 missiles and drones. The Israeli military said around 99% of the drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles had been shot down outside the country’s borders with the help of allies.
Rishi Sunak will make a statement in the Commons on the attack as world leaders scramble to defuse the spiralling tensions in the Middle East. Today, Lord Cameron said: "Of course if you are sitting in Israel this morning you’re thinking quite rightly we have every right to respond to this. And they do. But we are urging they shouldn’t escalate.
"In many ways this has been a double defeat for Iran. The attack was an almost total failure and they revealed to the world they are the malign influence in the region prepared to do this. Our hope is that there won’t be a retaliatory response and instead the world’s focus should shift to Hamas."
Video released by Iran reportedly showing start of missile and drone attacks against Israel ( Image: Iranian state TV)
Asked about US President Joe Biden’s reported remarks to Israel to "take the win", Lord Cameron added: "I think that’s right. I totally understand those in Israel who want to see more but I think this is the time to think with head as well as heart. I think the smart thing to do is to recognise Iran’s attack was a failure."
British Typhoon fighter jets based in the region helped to shoot down many of the Iranian missiles after scrambling attack teams alongside Israeli and US combat air crews. Lord Cameron suggested on Sky News the UK would help counter another Iranian attack on Israel, saying: "We are a supporter of Israel and a supporter of Israel’s right to self defence.
"Our role in the military operations, as it were, was very much to backfill for the United States in the operation we do jointly together against Isil in Iraq and Syria. So we provided planes to do that so the Americans could do more over the skies of Israel.
"But at the same time, we said, look, if there are drones coming from that region... into Israel, we’ll shoot them down and that’s what our very skilled pilots did."
Asked if Britain would do so again, he said: "If there was another Iran attack - Iran has said they’re not going to attack again and after the failure of their attack, I’m not surprised - but absolutely, we’ll always keep these things under review. We’re trying to avoid escalation and the action we took alongside the Americans and others clearly has helped to stop that escalation because the Iran attack was an almost total failure."