Israel, backed by the United States, and Iran on Wednesday (October 2) threatened each other with retaliation if attacked as the United Nations Security Council met amid fears of a wider war in the Middle East.
The council met after Israel killed the leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah and began a ground assault against the Iran-backed militant group and Iran attacked Israel in a missile strike.
Iran's U.N. Ambassador Amir Saied Iravani said the missile attack on Tuesday was "to restore balance and deterrence." He said further escalation could be avoided if Israel stopped the war in Gaza and attacks on Lebanon.