The United Nations, Russia, France, Germany and Britain have urged Israel and Iran to avoid any further escalation after Israel carried out air raids against what it said were Iranian targets in Syria.
Israel said the bombardment on Thursday was in retaliation for Iranian rocket fire on its positions in the occupied Golan Heights. There were no Israeli casualties.
The raids come after weeks of rising tensions and followed US President Donald Trump’s decision on Tuesday to withdraw from the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal, a move Israel had long advocated.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for an “immediate halt to all hostile acts” in a statement.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was also quick to call for restraint.
Both Russia and Iran have intervened in war-torn Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad.
Israel has long warned it will not accept Iran entrenching itself militarily in Syria.
In recent years, it has been suspected of carrying out air strikes on installations manned by Syrian, Iranian, and allied Lebanese fighters across Syria.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday Iran had “crossed a red line” and the resulting bombardment “was a consequence”.
“Iran has always sought to reduce tensions in the region, trying to strengthen security and stability,” President Hassan Rouhani told Merkel in a telephone call, according to a statement on the website of Iran’s presidency.
The White House also condemned Iran’s “provocative attack” in a statement, with press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders saying Iran has deployed into Syria “offensive rocket and missile systems aimed at Israel”.
Germany and Britain joined the US in denouncing the rocket fire they also said came from Iran, while France reiterated its “unwavering support for Israel’s security”.
Meanwhile, in a rare move for an Arab country, Bahrain backed Israel’s right to “defend itself” after the air raids.
Bahrain is a close ally of Saudi Arabia and the two countries, whose foreign policies are often in lockstep, view Iran as the chief threat to the region.
Israel, may feel emboldened by US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
“The Israelis believe they are facing a nightmare scenario right now where Iran is on the march in Syria with the intention to start a war that will end Israel.”