Austin has spoken to Gallant about Saturday’s raids, and issued a warning to Tehran that it “should not make the mistake of responding to Israel’s strikes, which should mark the end of this exchange”.
The secretary also discussed the opportunities that now exist to use diplomacy to dial down tensions in the region, including a hostage release and ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip and an agreement in Lebanon that allows civilians on both sides of the Blue Line to return safely to their homes.
On Saturday, the Iranian Air Defense Forces said in a statement that the country’s integrated air defense system successfully intercepted and countered the Israeli strikes targeting military locations in Tehran, Khuzestan, and Ilam provinces.
The attacks caused limited damage in some locations and the dimensions of the incident are under investigation, the statement added.
The Iranian Army also announced that four of its servicemen had been martyred in the raids.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has also condemned the Israeli assault as a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter, reiterating the country’s right to defend itself against foreign acts of aggression.
