Mena Today

Iraq called on all parties to show restraint amid soaring tensions between neighboring Iran and Israel, Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ali Tamim said on Monday, as talks on the complex U.S.-Iraq relationship began in Washington.

Turkish, Jordanian and Iraqi officials said on Sunday that Iran gave wide notice days before its drone and missile attack on Israel, but U.S. officials said Tehran did not warn Washington and that it was aiming to cause significant damage.

Europe's aviation regulator reaffirmed advice to airlines to use caution in Israeli and Iranian airspace though it said no civil overflights had been placed at risk during weekend tensions surrounding Iranian drone and missile strikes on Israel.

Germany will provide a further 244 million euros ($260 million) in humanitarian aid to war-torn Sudan, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Monday as European diplomats met in Paris to mark the first anniversary of the devastating conflict.

Gulf states are pushing to stop a full-blown regional war after Iran's unprecedented retaliatory strikes on Israel, sources in the region said, fearing new escalation could put them on front lines of a conflagration and ruin plans to reshape the region.

President Joe Biden warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the U.S. will not take part in a counter-offensive against Iran if Israel decides to retaliate for a mass drone and missile attack on Israeli territory overnight, a White House official said.

The first direct attack on Israel by arch foe Iran has shaken Israelis and left them fearful that a bigger war is looming.

Most of the Iranian drones flying over Syria's airspace during Tehran's strikes overnight were downed by Israeli and U.S. jets before reaching their targets in Israel, two Western intelligence sources said on Sunday.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Sunday Israel has shown that it was strong and could defend itself by repelling an Iranian attack overnight together with strong allies.

 Jordan's Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh said on Sunday any escalation in the region would lead to "dangerous paths" and said that there was a need to reduce escalation by all parties.

Pope Francis urged Iran and Israel on Sunday to avoid steps that could feed "a spiral of violence" that risked plunging the Middle East deeper into conflict.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Sunday that British military jets shot down drones launched by Iran in its attack on Israel and called for "calm heads to prevail" to avoid an escalation of the conflict.