US Backs Israel Over Airstrikes On Iran As Middle East Crisis Escalates | Top Points

US has again reteirated its support to Israel after the latter’s 'precise strikes' on Iran, which led to the killing of its four officers. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency announced the deaths on Saturday night. It offered no details on where the four men were stationed in the country.

Earlier, Israel attacked military targets in Iran with pre-dawn airstrikes in retaliation for the barrage of ballistic missiles the Islamic Republic fired on Israel earlier this month. The strikes marked the first time Israel's military has openly attacked Iran.

Taking to micro-blogging site—X, US Defence secretary Lloyd Austin said: “I emphasized that the United States is well postured to defend U.S. forces and facilities across the region and made clear that Iran should not make the mistake of responding to Israel’s strikes, which should mark the end of this exchange”.

On the other hand, Iran also issued a warning saying that it would defend itself after Israel’s threat that the latter would have to "pay a heavy price" if it responded to the strikes.

The recent developments in Israel's tensions with Iran and its war on Gaza raise concerns of an all-out war, despite fevered diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the tensions.

Here are the latest developments on the crisis unfolding in Middle-East:

• UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has condemned all acts escalating violence in the Middle East.

• US has extended its support to Israel. Washington has also warned Iran against any kind of retaliation after Israel’s airstrikes.

• Iran has vowed to defend itself against any aggression while warning Israel of a retaliation.

• On the other hand Hezbollah—a Lebanon based militant organization supported by Iran, has said that it had already launched rocket salvos targeting five residential areas in northern Israel to avenge Israeli attacks in Iran.

• US has also said it was informed about Israel's retaliatory strikes to Iran's ballistic missile attack earlier this month.

• Iran accused Israel of using Iraqi airspace in its attack on Tehran early Saturday.

• Israel claimed the attacks aimed to destroy military sites and retaliate against Iran and its allies.

• US President Joe Biden said that he hopes the Israeli strikes on Iran mark the end of a period of escalation in the Middle East.

• Israel has claimed that it is lifting restrictions for residents in parts of northern Israel amid ongoing rocket fire from Lebanon.