BREAKING NEWS

G7 leaders to discuss Iranian attack at 1400 GMT

Italy, which holds the rotating presidency of the G7, has called a video meeting of G7 leaders to start at 1400 GMT on Sunday to discuss Iran's attack on Israel, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said.

The Iranian attack, in response to a suspected Israeli air strike on Iran's embassy compound in Damascus on April 1, has raised the threat of a wider regional conflict.

US President Joe Biden has pledged a coordinated G7 diplomatic response to the drone and missile attack, which he condemned, and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he hoped that the Israeli government shows restraint in its response.

"Let's hope that good sense prevails in Tel Aviv because now they have had a military victory," Tajani told Italy's Rai 3 TV channel. "I believe that with this Israeli military success they can close this matter," he said, referring to the fact that most of the missiles and drones fired by Iran at targets in Israel were shot down.

The G7 groups the United States, Canada, Italy, Britain, France, Germany and Japan. Its foreign ministers are scheduled to meet over April 17-19 on the Italian island of Capri.