‘The time for empty calls for deescalation is over,’ says Israeli UN envoy after Iran missile attack

Israel’s UN ambassador says “the time for empty calls for deescalation is over.”

Danny Danon tells an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that “Iran’s true face is one of terror, death and chaos.”

“This is no longer a matter of words,” he said. “Iran is a very real and present danger to the world, and if they are not stopped, the next wave of missiles will not be aimed solely at Israel,” he says.

He calls Iran’s missile barrage aimed at Israel on Tuesday “a cold-blooded attack against 10 million civilians” and “an unprecedented act of aggression.”

Danon stresses that Israel will not stop until all of the hostages taken by Hamas and other terrorists are back in Israel.

“Let the world understand: Israel will defend itself, and we will do so with justice and strength,” he says.

Speaking before Danon, the Iranian ambassador claimed Iran had to launch a barrage of missiles at Israel to “restore balance” after a recent series of significant Israeli strikes targeting its regional proxies.

Amir Saeid Iravani describes the missile attack as “a necessary and proportionate response to Israel’s continued terrorist aggressive acts over the past two months.”

He claims Iran has “consistently pursued peace and stability” and that Israel sees Iranian restraint “not as a gesture of goodwill but as a weakness to exploit.”

“Each act of restraint taken by Iran has only emboldened Israel to commit greater crimes and more acts of aggression,” Iravani says. “Consequently, Iran’s response was necessary to restore balance and deterrence.”

Lebanon’s UN ambassador meanwhile says his government rejects the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Hadi Hachem says the Lebanese government wants the enforcement of a UN Security Council resolution that was supposed to end the last Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006. It called for all armed groups, including Hezbollah, to be disarmed and the deployment of Lebanese forces to the southern border with Israel. None of this has happened.

The Lebanese ambassador says fully implementing the resolution is the only solution to the ongoing war and Israel’s “barbaric aggression.” He says Lebanon is opening enlistment for 1,500 new soldiers to strengthen the national army’s presence in the south.

“Lebanon today is stuck between the Israeli destruction machine and the ambitions of others in the region,” Hachem says, alluding to Iran’s support for Hezbollah.