Europe joins US in urging restraint by Israel after Iranian attack

France presses Israel to focus on isolating Tehran rather than escalating situation

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Israel's European allies urged it on April 15 to show restraint over Iran's weekend missile and drone attack, calling on Israeli leaders to step away from "the edge of the cliff" of escalation in the Middle East.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war Cabinet, which is empowered to decide on the country's response, was set to convene on the afternoon of April 15, a government source said.

Israeli officials said the war Cabinet, which also met on April 14, favoured retaliation but was divided over the timing and scale of any such response.

With the danger of open warfare erupting between Israel and Iran, and tension high over the war in Gaza, President Joe Biden has told Mr Netanyahu that the United States will not participate in any Israeli counteroffensive against Iran, US officials said.

Britain, France, Germany and the European Union's foreign policy chief all joined Washington and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in calling for restraint.