Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday called on the international community to support the United States against Iran as tensions between the two countries escalated after the downing of a US drone by Iran.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps admitted to shooting down the drone over Iranian airspace. The US military called the downing an "unprovoked attack" and said it occurred over international airspace in the Strait of Hormuz.
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"In the last 24 hours, Iran has intensified its aggression against the United States and against all of us. And I repeat my call for all peace-loving countries to stand by the United States in its effort to stop Iranian aggression," Netanyahu said in a statement. "Israel stands by the United States on this."
According to a report in The New York Times, meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Thursday night approved military strikes against Iran in retaliation for downing the American drone but changed his mind from launching them.
The operation was reportedly in its early stages when it was called off, a senior administration official told the NY Times. Planes were in the air and ships were in position, but no missiles had been fired when word came to stand down, the official said.
It was not clear whether the US president simply changed his mind or whether the administration altered course because of logistics or strategy. It was also unclear whether the attacks might still get the green light.
The White House declined to comment, as did Pentagon officials, but no government officials asked that the story be withheld, The New York Times said.
The American president had earlier said that Iran had made "a very big mistake" by shooting down the drone.
Asked how the United States will respond, Trump told reporters, "You'll find out."
Iran told the United States via the Swiss ambassador on Friday that Washington would be responsible for the consequences of any military action against Iran, Iran's Fars news agency reported.
Because Washington and Tehran have no formal diplomatic ties, the Swiss ambassador in Tehran represents American interests in the Islamic republic.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday urged all sides to show restraint in the situation around Iran and said Moscow was concerned about rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Last month, an Israeli minister warned of possible direct or proxy Iranian attacks on Israel should the stand-off between Tehran and Washington escalate.
Asked if Israel's armed forces were on any changed alert status given Trump's statement on Iran, an IDF spokesman said they were not.
US National Security Adviser John Bolton will meet Netanyahu in Israel on June 23.
Tensions between Tehran and Washington have been rising over the collapsing nuclear deal with world powers.
Trump warned several days ago that he would be willing to engage in military combat with Iran if that was necessary to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.
"I would certainly go [to war] over nuclear weapons," Trump said.
