The United States will impose new sanctions aimed at Iran's missile and drone programme as well as the Revolutionary Guard and the defence ministry in the next few days in the wake of the large-scale air strike by Tehran on Israel last week, reported The Guardian. Washington also expects its allies to follow suit.
The announcement was made by the national security adviser (NSA) Jake Sullivan on the same day Germany said it expected sanctions by the European Union as the allies rushed to put a check on Iran while also urging restraint by Israel against launching a military reprisal that could ignite an all-out war in the region.
The NSA also said that a regional air defence and early warning system would also be expanded to help defend against future attacks.
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Meanwhile, Israel's war cabinet met for a third day in a row to consider its response to the assault by Iran which came after an attack on its embassy in Syria's Damascus, attributed to Israel.
The Israeli government had told Washington that it will carry out a retaliatory attack by the response will be calibrated to limit further escalation.
US President Joe Biden has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US will not participate in the counter-offensive.
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On Monday, Israel's military chief of staff Herzi Halevi promised that Iran's launch of more than 300 missiles, cruise missiles and drones at Israeli territory "will be met with a response", but gave no details, as per a Reuters report.
The UN Secretary General António Guterres held a phone conversation with Iran's minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and called for “urgent de-escalation” of hostilities, said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric on Tuesday.